


Noir Chronicles: Kaine

by kuki



Category: House of Night - P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Genre: Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Cats, Cheating, Dubious Consent, Elemental Magic, Excessive Swearing, Made up mythology, Moon Goddesses, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character-centric, Sexual Content, Soul Bond, Swords, The Moirai - Freeform, so many cats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 22:07:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 38
Words: 51,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3626019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuki/pseuds/kuki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tight knit group of human teenagers are marked one after the other. When the last of them is finally Marked, she finds that her ending up at the House of Night is much less to do with concidence and much more to do with Fate. She also finds that there is more out in the dark than just Vampyres and there is more than one goddess of the Night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Expected Marks

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite of my first ever finished fanfic, which was orginally posted on fanfiction.net. I loved the Casts' world, but hated their story so I made my own, and making my own better because there's always room for improvement. I'm writing this for my own amusement, but if you like it, awesomesauce.

Things change; they change all the time. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse, and maybe life just becomes different. It’s hard to tell which until you’re living in a back alley or are on national TV.

But then of course there are those to whom the Fates are simply cunts. Kaine Macabre didn’t know it, but she was one of these unlucky sons of bitches.

While she was sitting in class texting her recently Marked friends, she wasn’t even this Kaine person. She was just some simple girl with short ruddy brown hair and bright green eyes that missed her friends. The only thing she had hinting to her that her life was going to change was the fact that her friends were different. And she had to be next.

Circe and Cleo were first, almost two months prior. One only a few days after the other. Then Eden and Tilla, last month. Yesterday, yesterday, her best friend Kimi had become a Vampyre fledgling. They were paired up right? Vampyres were all about fate and stuff.

The next day she had her answer. As she stood at the gates of the Baltimore House of Night, she took a deep breath and reached a hand up to touch the new sapphire crescent on her forehead with a smile. She’d only been Marked long enough to pack a bag and drive down there from Pennsylvania, and looking into the sun-lit grounds she felt at home.

The feeling grew as she walked through the gates onto the unfamiliar grounds, trying to find where to go along the garden lined paths and past modern style buildings. Before she got too far, she was intercepted by a tall woman with long blonde curls and warm brown eyes. She smiled at the young girl as she smoothed out her long, tight black dress; her other hand moved her bangs from her filled in crescent surrounded by delicate but simple spirals.

“Hello, you must be the new arrival. I’m Anmarie Rumsfeld , the High Priestess of this House of Night.”

Kaine smiled back shakily and nodded, she was always a little uncomfortable with authority figures despite her outward brazen mannerisms. “Yeah… It’s nice to meet you.”

Nodding, Anmarie turned slightly. “Let’s get out of this sun.” The young girl nodded again also.

They came up on what the fledging assumed was the temple and she frowned, the sense of home fading away. Her eyes were heavy as she stared at the statue in the center of the space.

“That’s Nyx… Our goddess, the goddess of night.”

“Yeah… I know. There’s just something...”

Anmarie laughed, and it was obvious that the priestess misinterpreted what that something was in the fledging’s mind was. “She is your Goddess now; many fledglings have felt drawn to images of her.”

Then, the High Priestess headed upstairs and Kaine followed her into an office. The Vampyre sat behind the desk and held out a folder and a small book. Kaine took them and sat across from her.

“Do you want to change your name, first off, Brittany?”

She smiled and nodded; she’d been thinking of this since Circe had gotten Marked. “Kaine Macabre.”

Shrugging, Anmarie jotted it down. “Alright, the book i-…”

“The fledgling handbook, and there’s probably my schedule and things of that nature in the folder.”

“Right, you’re from there…” She didn’t look happy about the anomaly that was her and her friends. It didn’t take a genius to figure out their situation wasn’t average.

“Yeah… A-Am I rooming with Kimi?” She needed to room with Kimi-Kimi, they were basically twins.

Anmarie nodded. “Yes, she’s the only other person without a roommate currently. She hasn’t gotten her bearings yet either, so after dusk, my warrior and I will give the pair of you a tour around campus.” Then she got up and motioned for Kaine to follow her.

When Kaine entered the dorm room, she saw the dirty blond puff of one of her best friends sitting at the desk, absently paging through her own copy of the handbook. She looked up and her eyes locked onto Kaine’s.

“Hey Kimi,” She smiled at her friend as the slightly older girl got up and hugged her tightly.

“I knew I’d be seeing you soon!” Kimi squealed. “You change your name?”

“Yep, Kaine. We’re going to room together.”

She smiled brighter, looking to the priestess for confirmation.

“I’ll let you two alone. I’ll see you both at sundown.” Then the adult Vampyre left.

Kimi pushed Kaine onto the bed and sat next to her. “Want to wake up the rest and show off?”

Kaine shook her head. “Let them sleep, I want to absolutely freak them out when they randomly see me around.”

Sneering, the blonde nodded. “You’re so evil sissy.”

As they talked, Kimi talking about the things she’d noticed since getting there and more detail of how everyone else was, since communication was lessened once each of them got there, Kaine felt less and less secure about how she felt while in the temple. She just kept smiling and putting her clothes away and unearthing her “uniform” with the third former insignia.

            Cleo had gotten herself a familiar, an orange tabby male named Kyo, and Circe had bought a Chinchilla named Humphrey at a pet store. Tilla was in love with the Moon Goddess worship, having been a Wiccan before becoming a fledgling, but Eden wasn’t in the best health recently (not that she had ever been). Kimi herself hadn’t been there long enough to really feel anything, but was in general comfortable, especially knowing her home life wasn’t ideal.

Kaine just smiled and nodded. “Anything else special?”

Kimi thought for a while. “Oh, yeah, apparently, Cleo and Circe both got infinities at the second ritual or something.”

“Affinities. Which elements?”

“Not sure, you’ll have to ask them when you see them.”

Finally dusk came around and both girls headed out, making their way to the temple. Anmarie was up in her office, with a very muscular man with very short brown hair and almost yellow eyes with what looked to be the muscles of the face in blue coming from his Mark. Kaine assumed that this was the priestess’s warrior.

“Kaine, this is Andus. He teaches several classes here and is in charge of security.” Kaine smiled and nodded.

Then they started the tour. Anmarie breezed through the main building, motioning to the separate wings and saying the numbering system was pretty simplistic. She pointed to the cafeteria, mentioning some of its specialties. The boys’ and professors’ dorms, the infirmary and morgue, most of the gyms were grouped together and connected but she mentioned which was for which. It wasn’t a particularly long tour, but just long enough to miss breakfast


	2. Old Friends

The two fledglings ate breakfast alone in the large cafeteria; they didn’t talk except on the way to their first ever classes in the House of Night. Tuesday, all day. Kaine knew Kimi’s class was closer to the entrance, and hated her for it. She could see Tilla in there too, for which she hated her more.

When she walked into her history class, half way through, she nodded at the teacher, trying not to make eye contact as she made her way to the only empty seat next to an awkward looking kid.

“Hey… uh…”

“You’re new.” He whispered, practically inaudibly. Then he pushed his book towards her and she smiled and nodded in thanks. After class, he bolted without his book and Kaine sighed. She went up to the teacher, talking to her shortly about how classes work. Complicated apparently, because the petite blonde woman just sassed her and told her not to be late to her next class.

Kaine peered into the writing classroom and smiled brightly, seeing her short, Jew-fro-ed friend sitting near the back attempting to balance a pencil on her top lip. She came in with a crowd of other students and sat next to the pale girl.

“You’re mature, right?” Our heroine didn’t look at her friend until she heard the squeal of surprise and happiness. “Hey, think you’d get rid of me that easily?”

Eden smirked, hitting Kaine lightly. “Nah, figured you’d show your face around if you had to draw the damned thing on your forehead. You didn’t, did you?”

Chuckling, she ruffled the large dark mess of hair on the other girl’s heaf. “Come on, give me some credit, I’m not quite that codependent on you asshats.”

“Who else knows you’re here? One of us?”

“Kimi, and now you.” She smirked. “Don’t think it’s because you’re special. We just happened to have this class together.”

“Nah, pretty sure I’m special.”

“Right.” Then she sighed, eyeing the slightly younger girl. “Kimi told me you’re not doing so hot?”

“Damn that girl.” Eden scoffed. “I’m _fine._ I’m just not all ‘yay suddenly blood sucking immortals’, you know? It’s a difficult situation to adjust to, alright?”

Kaine held her hands up defensively. “Woah there tiger. Just asking. Thought you’d be the person to talk to about something.”

She scoffed again. “You’ve been here less than twelve hours girlie, give it some time at least. In a month when things still suck, we’ll talk.”

“Things suck?”

“Well, not the food, but a lot of _things_ do.”

Kaine raised her eyebrows then chuckled in realization. “Ah, well, I hope to stay away from most of those.”

Then the professor finally walked in and the two were forced to stop conversing. On their way out later Eden asked her where she was heading. The answer was music and Eden’s face lit up; apparently Circe and Tilla would be the next ones getting a shock. They got to class before the other two and they discussed how to surprise them, with glee.

            Eden went in first and was very nonchalant as she conversed with them. Kaine watched very covertly from the window in the door until the teacher was starting class. Then she put a stricken look on her face and barged in. The teacher glared at her.

            “Sorry, first day, lost.” She smiled sheepishly. Circe and Tilla jumped, yelling her human name. She turned to them and winked. They both corrected themselves, as they had all been talking about name changes since Cleo and Circe were Marked. Then she smiled at the prof and apologized to him again, taking a seat next to her oldest friend who hugged her tightly.

            “I missed you so much! When’d you get it?” Circe smiled at her like a child at Christmas, her hazel eyes boring into Kaine’s face as she waited for an answer. Her blonde hair was up in a messy bun with chopstick and Kaine tried to keep herself from taking them out.

            “This morning, during English.”

            Tilla smirked, climbing over Eden to join the conversation. “I bet Chaplin was flipping shit.” The girl’s silver-blue eyes sparkled at her expectantly, though one was covered by her long brunette side bangs.

            “Nope, totally expecting it. She just rolled her eyes and told me to get a move on when she saw the tracker.”

            They both chuckled and were shushed by the prof, the four laughed harder, but settled down, though they exchanged glances and giggles throughout class. After that class, Tilla and Kaine parted from the rest of the group to go to class together.

            “So, okay, the rest of the asshats don’t understand, but this is totally awesome! Like did you see Circe’s cross? She’s still wearing it, like, hello, we have a moon goddess now.” Tilla ranted. “But still love her, y’know?”

            Kaine rolled her eyes, Circe had always been very religious so it wasn’t surprising to her that the girl was having trouble converting. “I’m excited. Do I look like I’m not?”

            Tilla stopped and appraised her. “You don’t. But you _could_ look more excited.”

            Rolling her eyes again as Tilla turned back around too quickly, falling on her face. She helped her up, chuckling a bit. “Well, aren’t fledglings supposed to be a little more graceful than humans?”

            “I didn’t, like, injure myself majorly?” Then they both laughed, continuing the walk to class.

            They caught up with the rest of the group at lunch, where Kaine saw the last member of the group. Cleo was talking with a boy with a fifth former insignia on his jacket; she kept twirling her long brown hair around her finger and her brown eyes looked into his flirtatiously. Kaine raised her eyebrows at Tilla, expecting some explanation. Tilla shrugged and went to the food line.

            Tilla explained that the boy’s name was Matt, and he and Cleo had been getting close. As far as she knew, he was a warrior in training and was sort of an asshole; it was almost impossible to speak to Cleo while he was around. Thankfully, the arrival of the last of their group was enough for her to say a few sentences.

            “Kaine! You’re here!” Cleo smiled at her when she sat across from her. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

            Tilla and Eden rolled their eyes, but Kaine smiled at her. “Me too, I missed you all so much. I’m also glad you’re making new friends.” Matt hadn’t even looked at anyone since they had sat down, he just kept staring at Cleo with his arm around her waist.

            Cleo nodded. “You met anyone new Kaine?”

            She shrugged. “I’ve only been here less than a day. I’ll make new friends, I’m sure.” When Cleo nodded again, she turned back to Matt, sucking on his face.

            Tilla made eye contact with Kaine, rolling her eyes and mouthing profanities. Kaine snickered, starting up idle conversation with the rest of the group. She learnt that the elements that the flaming twins, Cleo and Circe, were given were Fire and Water respectively, which she thought was pretty suiting. After that, things turned to teachers and ones they liked and ones they didn’t.

            They walked back together, still talking, but Kaine’s eyes looked toward the Nyx statues in the quad. She still felt a little uneasy; the image of the goddess was like something foreign.

            She hadn’t even noticed that she had stopped, feeling her stomach turn. A hand touched her shoulder and she looked at Tilla. “Botany’s over in the greenhouses, this way…” Kaine nodded, shaking herself internally as she followed her and Eden.

            Kaine finished her classes up for the day with Interpretive Dance. After the day was over, she played video games in Eden and Tilla’s room with Kimi while Cleo and Circe were in priestess training. The four chatted idly, talking about their human life and their beginning Vampyre lives, cute boys and such. The conversation continued over dinner.


	3. First Duel

The next day proceeded similarly, with Kaine settling into bed feeling at home, happy, and well fed, but an insistent uneasy feeling of being a stranger settling inside her. A week passed and nothing was much different than human high school.

            She was leaving Sociology when Anmarie stopped Kimi and her, asking how they were adjusting. Kimi smiled and honestly said she was great, that being among the other fledglings was better than she could’ve ever hoped.

            “And you, Kaine?” Anmarie smiled at her, then frowned seeing the conflicted look on her face. “You know what, I don’t want to make you two late. Why don’t you come by my office after classes today, I’m not giving any priestess training until later.”

            Kaine took a sobering breath and nodded. She didn’t want to make Kimi worry about her. “Thanks. See you then.”

            As they walked, her roommate gave her a questioning look, but Kaine blew her off. She spent most of the rest of the day trying to put her feelings into coherent words to talk to Anmarie.

            Then her last class came. The previous week in fencing, she had mostly sat on the side lines, watching some of the other students with more experience hash it out; she hadn’t even picked up a foil. But, she was a bit stressed and more than up for hitting someone with a stick, and after she got a bit of instruction from Cleo and Tilla, she lined up for her turn at one of the mats.

            The first bout, she won. And the second, and the third. She was barely breaking a sweat as she spent most of the period conquering. When she took a break, Cleo immediately asked how she was doing it.

            Shrugging, Kaine downed half a water bottle. “I don’t know, really. It’s almost like the second I picked this thing up I was invincible, like I can read my opponents’ thoughts.”

            Tilla nodded approvingly. “Well, that makes you a BAMF, I do believe. I feel like that with video games a lot.”

            Kaine rolled her eyes, but laughed, knowing her friend’s ultimate gaming abilities. She was just about to make a smart comment when there was a tap on her shoulder.

            It was a male, a tall, musclular male with a fifth former mark on his jacket. “I hear you think you’re tough.”

            “I might be. Maybe I’m just damn lucky?” Kaine set the water bottle down, ignoring the glance her friends shared. “What’s it to you princess?”

            “I challenge you to a duel.”

            “Do you? I was thinking of calling it quits for today.”

            “Maybe everyone’s just letting you win, since you’re new. Don’t you want to know?”

            Kaine shrugged. “Not really. You looking for a fight? Feeling emasculated?”

            He frowned, his brow furrowing with anger. “How about a wager then? If you lose, you’re my bitch for the next month.”

            She frowned. “And if I win?”

            “Then, you can say you beat me.”

            “That’s hardly fair.” He started to walk away. “But you’re on.”

            As Kaine held the foil in her hand, she took a deep breath and assessed the older boy in front of her. She tried to be positive and not think about how Cleo and Tilla tried to talk her out of it. She also tried to not think about how they said he was a warrior in training, a star in the program. Andus was looking at her like she was crazy, which was probably a correct diagnosis at that point.

            Cracking her neck and pretending she was making up a strategy for herself, her opponent’s thoughts entered her head. He was cocky, thinking of his impending victory and assuming that Kaine would either charge recklessly or freeze.

            Kaine smirked under her mask and took a few careful steps toward him when the bout started. He looked taken aback but gave the first blow, anger filling the swing.

            Everyone was amazed as she matched him, blow for blow. Her disadvantage was her lack of skill and strength, his was her knowing every move he was about to make. The whole class cheered when she beat him.

            She could hear him about to make a move that she couldn’t defend against, she swore in her head and begged for him to miss, to make a move she knew she could beat him after. Then he did, enacting the exact one she had in mind. He leaned in too close when she sidestepped his changed attack. She elbowed him in the jaw, sending him falling to ground, the foil flying out of his hand.

            After she pressed the tip of the sword to his neck, she dropped it, turning and running to the locker room, hiding herself until everyone else had left. She wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened.

            Tilla and Cleo were waiting on either side of the door. Tilla grabbed her hand as she exited the building. “Oh no you don’t.”

            Cleo glanced at her. “Andus is waiting for you in Anmarie’s office.”

            Kaine took a deep breath and nodded. “I-I… fuck.”

            “Hey, do you want me to come with you?” Tilla smiled at her encouragingly.

            “Walk with me at least.” Both nodded. As they walked, the two questioned her, but Kaine just kept shaking her head, feeling a bit like she was walking to the gallows.

            She sat across from Anmarie at the desk, looking down. Anmarie smiled at her. “Kaine, don’t look so sullen. What you did today was a great feat.”

            Kaine shook her head. “I don’t know how it happened. I just… I just hoped and…”

            Andus glanced at her, frowning. “I know that young man, I know you did not win on luck. Many of the other students you battled today are also very skilled.”

            “I don’t know what happened, okay?” She said defensively. “It was like when I picked up that foil, I just kn-…”

            “We’re not accusing you of anything child.” Anmarie reached toward her with a warm smile. “Just tell us how you were feeling. Andus thinks, well… he thinks you may have a gift for the foil.”

            “I don’t!” Kaine stood, swatting the hand. “I practically cheated! It’s like I knew exactly what each of them were thinking, the moves they were planning! A-And…” Her voice broke, as she registered the shocked, frightened, and impressed faces looking back at her. She sat down slowly. “I’m sorry.”

            “No, don’t apologize, Kaine.” Anmarie frowned, glancing at a stone at the corner of her desk. “And what?”

            “I made him change his last attack. I should’ve lost… but…” Kaine covered her face with her hands, groaning.

            “Kaine, what you did, it sounds like you have a Goddess given gift.” Andus walked over and touched her shoulder. She looked up at him. “It is my belief that you are meant to be a warrior. Go, Anmarie and I must convene with the Goddess and the Council.”

            She frowned but nodded, leaving without another word.


	4. The Headache

            Kaine ignored her friends for the rest of the evening, only interacting with them when absolutely necessary. It was hard to completely ignore someone you share a room with, so she had to at least see Kimi. The two also shared the bathroom between their and the flamings’ room, so she had to coordinate with them. At least she didn’t have to deal with Eden and Tilla, though she was told the food was brought to her at their suggestion.

            She laid in bed mostly, staring either at the ceiling or the inside of her eyelids. Very literally she didn’t do anything. Breathed, ate when forced, showered, not much else. Few thoughts passed through her head.

            _I can’t be a warrior. I’m a chick, I have a vagina. In Vampyre culture girls were prophetesses and priestesses. We certainly don’t get trained with swords._ It was during these small acts of effort that she rolled over and pressed her face into her pillow. _Besides, Nyx couldn’t have given me a gift, not with the way I feel when I look at her._

Kimi eventually turned off the lights, double checked the blackout curtains, and glumly wished Kaine a good night, though it was day. As soon as the light was gone, Kaine was unconscious, falling into a dreamless sleep.

            At noon, Kaine woke up with what seemed like a migraine, her head feeling like she was being stabbed repeatedly. She sat straight up, feeling as if a hundred people were talking to her at once. Glancing at Kimi, seeing that look on her face.

            “Shit.” Kaine shook her head, making it hurt worse. Cats, Kimi was dreaming of cats, and one of the many things that were going through Kaine’s head just happened to be cats. “Kimi!”

            Kimi sat up, groggily, looking at Kaine. Worry became the most predominant thought in Kaine’s head. If her head didn’t hurt so much, she would’ve assumed it was because her roommate was closest. Kimi saw the pained look on her roommate’s face and got up, sitting next to her on the bed. “What’s wrong? Kaine, what is it?”

            Kaine buried her face in the crook of her friend’s neck, holding the back of her head. “My head… it’s like everyone’s in it…” Kimi frowned, helping her up.

            “To Anmarie we go.”                                               

            Kaine couldn’t make herself go up the steps at the back of the temple. Kimi set her next to the Nyx statue and went up the stairs. She knocked on the second door, the one to the high priestess’s private room.

            Kimi frowned at her when she came to the door in a robe. “Kaine… she woke up, her head…” Anmarie’s frown increased.

            “Where is she?”

            “Downstairs, next to Nyx.”

Anmarie pushed past her, heading down the stairs. She knelt down next to Kaine, touching her knee. Kaine pulled herself into a tight ball.

“F-feels a little better in here.”

Nodding, Anmarie put the back of her hand against Kaine’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”

“Thoughts. Everyone’s thoughts. Your thoughts.” Kaine shook her head. “You’re upset because you had just gotten asleep, and you’re worried about me. You’re also wondering if it’s a good time to mention me and warrior training.”

Anmarie took a deep breath. “Yes. Kaine, I think what you got yesterday was just a taste of your abilities.”

Kaine groaned, curling up tighter.

“I think you feel better because you’re far from most of the school, and Nyx’s presence is soothing.” She groaned again, signaling that Anmarie was not helping. “You should stay here, at least for a while. Once you get a handle on this, I’m sure it won’t be as painful child.”

Kaine nodded. “Okay.” Kimi sighed, hating how pitiful her friend sounded. “Go back to bed Kimi, I know you want to… one less voice so distinct in my head would help.” Then Kimi was gone, promising in her head to go check on her later. Glancing at the High Priestess, Kaine frowned. “Can you leave me alone for a while too? And I will show up at warrior training if I feel up for it.”

Anmarie left her alone. Kaine didn’t glance up when her and Andus left several hours later. When they left, Kaine felt a little better, then a lot worse when her friends stopped by. “You brought all of them?” Then she chuckled, hearing them all mentally cursing her.

Kimi frowned. Circe walked over, after grabbing the blue prayer candle and a matchbook. “I’m not entirely sure what’s happening to you, but maybe I can help.”

Kaine glanced at her worriedly. Circe smiled at her encouragingly. She called upon water to sooth her friend and as soon as the candle was lit, Kaine felt so much better. She smiled, resting her head back against the statue with a moan. “Thanks Circe.”

Circe hugged her. “Just thank it before blowing out the candle. We should get to class.”

Eden scoffed. “Not before we give her some food.” She walked over and set a Styrofoam container in front of Kaine. Smiling brightly, Kaine thanked them and shooed them.

Anmarie checked on her around lunch, but didn’t wake her noticing that she had fallen asleep, sung to by the candle still burning next to her.

Kaine woke up and let go of Water not long before the last period of the day would start. She instantly regretted blowing out the candle and standing up as her head started to pound and her body started to sway. However, she made it to the gym for the warriors in training. Thankfully for her head, it was farther from the other gyms and the bulk of students.

Resting her head back against the outside wall, she heard a male voice through her ears and suddenly she was very thankful she had fallen asleep in her clothes the day before. “You okay there? I think you’re in the wrong place.”

Opening her eyes, she frowned slightly. She tried to focus on his thoughts, but there was nothing in her head coming from him, just a lot of noise from everyone else. “No, I’m in the right place, just having a shitty day.”

“This is the warrior building.”

“Thanks for the conformation. I’m Kaine Macabre.”

“Eos Siempre, so you’re the one that beat our _star_ warrior.” He smiled at her, looking thoroughly impressed. Through the thoughts of others, she managed to take in his appearance. Tall-ish, round-ish, dark curly hair, dark eyes with thick glasses, his face was attractive enough though his expression and stance were both lazy and arrogant — much like her own.  He was a fourth former, making him well older than her. “It’s about time someone beat him off his high horse.”

She snorted in amusement, then winced in pain as that put a lot of pressure in head. He frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just got an awesome new gift: minding reading. It hurts like a bitch having everyone’s thoughts in my head.” He frowned further. “Anyway, let’s get this show on the road.”


	5. Eos Siempre

He opened the door for her as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She sat down on one of the benches near what she assumed was a sparing ring. Andus glanced at her and opened his mouth.

“No, I’m not fine, my head hurts. And you and Anmarie are way too gushy romantic early in the morning.” The warrior flushed and Kaine sighed. “I am so not up for moving today.”

Andus nodded, then glanced at Eos. “I see you’ve met Eos.” Kaine nodded as the boy sat next to her.

He waited for the others to arrive, sharpening a sword absently. Eos kept trying to talk to her, but she was blowing him off with good reason. When the others did arrive, Kaine recognized all of them. The first, the douche she had beaten in fencing was scowling at her and thinking awful things about her.

“I heard that asshole.” He jumped and scampered to the other side of the building.

The second was Cleo’s boy thing Matt. No one had mentioned that he was a warrior. Last was the awkward boy she sat next to on the first day. She still had his textbook. He glanced at her, he recognized her and nodded, going to sit in a corner. Eos told her his name was Siegfried Dymitri. The boy was the same year as Kaine was and seemed to be jumpy. He had red-brown hair and dark blue eyes; he was lanky and didn’t much look like a warrior.

Eos kept talking about the other warriors, but she couldn’t listen. Her head was still pounding. Andus had started talking too. The boy beside her was a little shocked when she dropped her head on his shoulder, burying her face in against the sleeve of his shirt.

“H-Hey, you okay?” She managed to shake her head and he put an arm around her shoulders.

Barely, she managed to realize that Andus had stopped talking. His thoughts were still in her head.

“C-Can I go back to the temple?” She glanced at him, before he could ask if she could make it herself. “Probably not.”

Her head hurt too much for her to realize that someone was helping her back to the temple. She didn’t notice she was even moving until she was already at her destination. Looking up, she saw Eos and the temple.

“Hey, feeling any better?”

She nodded, staring at him dumbfounded. “Everyone else is just a dull murmur.”

“And me?”

“I can’t read you.”

He frowned. “Well, I suppose that’s good right now. I’m not adding to the noise in your head.” Then he straightened up as if to leave. Kaine reached for his arm.

“I was alone all morning. Please stay, for a while at least.”

They sat in silence for a while. “Wow… I said that I was alone all morning, so you sit there and say nothing.”

“Oh… well, since your head hurts, I didn’t think you would like more noise.”

She snorted in amusement then winced in pain. “So, how’d you get into the warrior program?”

“Just good, swords and mixed martial arts. Not gifted, just good.” He glanced at her. “I assume you got in on mind reading?”

“Yeah… I’m not entirely sure but I think in combat, I can control my opponent.” Smiling at him, she let her head rest against the statue again. “But it probably wouldn’t work on you.”

“Want to test it?”

“Head hurts too much. But definitely sometime.”

“If this is Goddess given, I don’t know if it’ll ever go away Kaine.”

 Kaine glared at him, but sighed. “Way to be reassuring.”

He chuckled, bumping her shoulder. “There’s a ritual this Tuesday, pray to Nyx about it. She doesn’t want her children to suffer.”

Snorting, she shook her head. “ _Obviously not_. I’m not sure I’ll make it to Tuesday honestly.”

He frowned, awkwardly wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “I know this really quiet spot on campus, I’m sure it’d be quiet for your head too.” With a slight nod, Kaine let Eos help her up and lead her to his secret grotto.

While walking, she kept her face buried on his arm. Eos shook her slightly when they stopped. “How’s this on your head?”

She looked at the space then back at the main building with a smile. “Wonderful… We’re far enough from the buildings… and the city. Everyone’s… barely there.” Then she looked up at him. “And it’s gorgeous, though overgrown.”

Eos smiled back at her. “Well, maybe we can just camp out here until the ritual.”

They sat down, against one of the trees. Kaine texted her friends her whereabouts and begged for food. Eos idly talked to her, about her human life and his, and about fledgling life.

Not long after the end of classes, the girls showed up with food and their thoughts. Kaine thanked them and tried very, very hard not to listen to any of their heads. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough. All of them were worrying about her, but each had something else on her mind. Circe and Cleo were thinking of their respective men. Eden was worrying about one of her classes. Tilla was thinking about Eden’s eyes and the curve of her lips. Kimi was thinking of the cats that Kaine only realized were following her roommate.

“Oh… cats, joy.” One of them hissed at her and another plopped down on her lap. “Kimi… How long have they been following you?”

She picked one up, petting it. “This one has been following me all day, stays the closest. The rest came and went after.”

Kaine smiled, roughly shooing the one sitting on her. “You should go to Anmarie, I think you have an affinity to cats, and that one is likely your specific familiar.”

“As soon as I know you’re alright.” Then she glanced at Eos, who Eden and Tilla were already staring down. “Who is this?”

He stood up defensively and Kaine touched his leg. “Guys, this is Eos Siempre. He’s a warrior and he’s been keeping me company.”

Circe raised her eyebrows. “So you’ve been reading his mind for a while?”

Kaine shook her head, smiling brightly. “I can’t read him, so I’ve been able actually talk to him.” Eos smiled at them, waving as she introduced each of the girls. Cleo and Circe left for priestess training and Kimi went with them. Eden and Tilla sat down with them, watching Kaine eat for a little bit before going back to meet the others for dinner. She talked them into taking Eos with them, since he needed to eat too.

She sighed and stared at the stars, wondering how she was going to get through the next few days, especially trying to sleep.


	6. Full Circle

To keep her mental sanity intact, Anmarie let her sleep in the temple and over the weekend she spent her waking hours in Eos’s hiding spot. The girls’ took turns sitting with her, bringing card games, gossip and food. Eos stopped by when he could, which was quite a lot. He didn’t say much when the girls were there, expect when Circe mentioned Kaine being her warrior.

Monday she spent most of alone, though Eos sat with her during lunch and Eden dropped her off food after Kaine mentioned via text the male hadn’t thought of it. He also came back and forced her to go to warrior training. She sat there and watched the three physical warriors spar. Siegfried sat next to her, looking at a map with a pencil.

When he saw her watching him, he started explaining what he was doing and she chuckled, cutting him off.

"I know. I’m a mind reader,” she said as she rubbed her forehead. “It’s a little muffled under everything else, but I can still hear it.”

He nodded, looking a little disturbed. “Right…”

“You have a gift for war strategies. You’re name’s Sieg, right?”

“Siegfried, actually?” He kept staring at her like she was crazy.

Eos came over, chuckling. “Siegfried isn’t used to many girls talking to him.” Kaine smiled and shrugged.

“Shame, they’re missing out. He’s a little paranoid, but he’s a great guy.” She tapped her forehead, getting up to exchange a few words with Andus.

Later she went back to the gardens and skipped all her classes again. After the rest were done, Circe and Cleo came by with a female Kaine didn’t know. A fifth former with a large mass of dark brown hair, large mass of body, but a pleasant glasses-clad face.

“Kaine, this is the-…”

“President of the Dark Daughters, since there haven’t been any Priestesses-in-training.” Kaine glanced at her again. “Serenity Quel, right?”

The girl nodded, dumbfounded for a second before smiling brightly. “As the president, it’s my job to invite people into the club. We especially look for Fledglings with Goddess given gifts, like yourself, but we have normal students like myself!”

Kaine nodded. “To come to the after Circle? Run by students?”

“Yeppers! So, are you going to come?”

“We’ll see. It’ll depend on how my head fells in a crowd.”

Serenity nodded and smiled. “I completely understand, but I hope you can make it. All your fellow warriors are going to be there, and you can bring a guest!” Then she waved enthusiastically and left.

Circe and Cleo both sat down with her until it was time for the monthly Full Moon Ritual. When they got there, the two girls dispersed, each behind their respective elements. Kaine sat next to Kimi with Eden and Tilla. The pain of everyone else’s thoughts invading her head again came suddenly and she curled up next to her roommate.

The lights dimmed and Anmarie walked to the center of the Circle. She gave a few announcements about the school and the upcoming month. Then she went back into the shadows, as music started and four teachers with candle went to their respective points in the circle. Then Anmarie dance back in before starting calling the Elements.

She walked to the East and lit a match, welcoming Air to the circle with kind words and prayers of its continuing caress. When she lit the wick, there was an explosion of yellow mist that bypassed Anmarie and each member of the crowd sitting on the floor going straight for Tilla. It made her stand then put her hands out as if to receive a gift; it rested on her hands then moved to her chest, joining into her person. She took a deep breath, looking up to see the High Priestess (and everyone else) staring at her.

Anmarie motioned for her to sit down and moved onto the two elements that had already picked their vessels among the particular Fledglings in Baltimore.

When she got to Earth, she glanced at the group again then welcomed the element and asked it for strength. As the green candle was lit a similar green mist appeared, going to Kaine. Kaine was staring at it with fascination, letting it surround her like a cocoon. As it faded, the noise in her head stopped: her thoughts the only ones she could hear. She looked at Kimi and heard her thoughts; she then thought to Sieg and heard his even though she couldn’t see him. When she sat down she sent a “thank you” to Nyx and to her new protector, Earth.

The High Priestess was shooting silent curses at the Goddess as she moved to her warrior, with the purple candle. She again called the element, hoping for it to give the House guidance. A purple Spirit mist surrounded Kimi similarly to Kaine’s green mist. Kimi beamed and sat back down as the ritual finished.

After the ritual, as they started to leave, Anmarie cleared her throat, causing the three girls with the newly appointed affinities to turn to her with grimaces. They walked toward her.

“I want to see each of you at Priestess training from now on.”

Tilla and Kaine puffed out their cheeks indignantly as Kimi shrugged, as she already had been deemed Priestess worthy due to her affinity towards felines.

“Anmarie!” Tilla whined, “I don’t want to be a Priestess, I just want to play my piccolo and video games.”

Rolling her eyes, and ignoring the senseless comment, she turned to Kaine.

“I’m already a warrior. Earth, it’s not mine to control per say… but it’s blocking the thoughts I don’t want, only letting in people I want to read.” Kaine sighed. “My head feels like mine for the first time in days.”

Anmarie smiled, touching her shoulder gently. “I’m glad. I told you Nyx had a plan, would take care of you.” Kaine nodded curtly.

“I haven’t had a decent sleep in a while… I’m going to go to bed.” Then she turned and left.

Serenity intercepted the other two as they walked out, forcing them to the Dark Daughter’s meeting.

Kaine fell asleep without much effort, relishing the silence in her head. She didn’t even wake up when Kimi came back, all giggly from the party. Despite the immediate unconsciousness, her sleep was fitful, plagued with awful dreams she wouldn’t recall in the morning. And when she woke up, there were three cats sharing her bed, including one curled up on her back. She yelled for her roommate who just chuckled as she got out of bed.


	7. More Gifts

Over the next week, things went better for her and her friends. The priestesses, which much to her dismay now included Tilla, were faring well with their studies; Circe was finding a specialty as using water as a mirror in spells, Cleo found herself with a gift for controlling actual fire, and Tilla was improving in her music and archery classes. Kaine had become really good friends with Sieg and Eos, sparing with them whenever she had the chance. Eden however was starting to feel strain on herself, since she didn’t have anything at all to do.

As the warriors and priestesses were all out, training, she saw a cat she hadn’t seen before sleeping in the common room, ignoring it for a while as she fell asleep rewatching an episode of her favorite show.

She fell into a vivid, but phantasmal dream. A forest of impossibly green and impossibly shaped trees. That cat sleeping near her was walking with her, meowing and huffing at her in annoyance. Eden was starting to share his sentiments until they came to a clearing, where a woman in Native American attire was sitting on a stump.

 _“Hello Eden. I’ve been waiting.”_ Eden blinked at her stupidly as the cat walked over and rubbed against the woman’s legs. _“You too Baghera.”_

 _“Me? You’ve been waiting for me?”_ Eden was appalled by the strange echo-y nature of her voice as the cat came back to her. _“I’m dreaming, aren’t I?”_

Laughing, the sound visibly coming out in colored shapes. _“Nothing gets past you. I’m glad I picked you, that the others found you.”_

 _“Picked me? Listen here lady, I don’t kno-…”_ Then Eden swore and apologized, recognizing the woman. _“Nyx.”_

Smiling and walking over to her, Nyx nodded. _“Yes my child.”_

 _“I’m not special. I’m ill and I don’t_ like _being a Vampyre.”_ The cat seemingly glared at her for being so blunt with the Goddess.

_“I know, but it does not change your purpose or how much your friends need you.”_

Snorting, Eden shook her head. _“Especially Kaine.”_

The Goddess nodded, seriously. _“Yes, especially Miss Macabre. Things will be changing soon, and she’ll need your gift.”_

_“I don’t have a gift.”_

Nyx shook her head in disagreement, kissing the blue crescent on the pale girl’s forehead. _“You didn’t have a gift. But now, you have the gift to see what many others cannot: the infinite web that connects people and places and events together. I also give you a gift of persuasion, though you’ve always been good at that.”_

The cat whined at the Goddess and Eden looked at it, remembering Nyx calling him Baghera.

 _“And a familiar.”_ Nyx touched her Mark again. _“But you must go, there is much to do and much for you find out before it all begins.”_ She was pushed away, falling in darkness until she fell onto the couch where she fell asleep.

Kaine’s face was above hers, smiling. “Rise and shine sleeping beauty.”

Eden frowned, pulling her down into a hug. “You… you’re such a pain in the ass.”

Laughing, she pried her off. “Come on, everyone’s waiting on you for dinner. Get your lazy ass up.”

Kicking Kaine’s rear, Eden frowned at the back of the girl’s head. “I have the lazy ass?”

When they got back after dinner, Kaine found a sword on her bed. The silver handle — hilt — was wrapped in leather for grip then a gold vine; crescents were etched onto it, around the emerald at the end. She pulled it out of the sheath; it had her name on it. Kimi came in, frowning at her.

“Who’s that from?”

Kaine handed it to her roommate, Kimi dropped it, yelping. “What?” Picking it back up, Kaine looked at the other girl’s hand. “It’s burnt…”

“It hurts Sissy.” Nodding, Kaine set down the sword and started dragging her to the infirmary. There was a gun shot across the hall from Tilla and Eden’s room.

Kimi went on without Kaine, so the warrior could investigate.

There was a hole in the window and a gun in Tilla’s hand. Tilla glanced at her. “Oh… lookit, I got a new toy.”

“Yeah. When I got back there was a cool sword on my bed…” Kaine held her hand out for it. She took it with ease. “Odd, my sword burnt Kimi’s hand when she picked up it.”

“Huh… same with Eden and this.”

“Oh, shut up, it was nothing.” Eden came out of the bathroom with a self-bandaged hand. “How the hell are you holding it?”

Kaine shrugged, looking it over. “It has your name it… mine too.”

“Really? Does yours have the gem like mine?”

Looking at the bottom of the gun, at the butt of the magazine, Kaine saw a yellow gem. “Oh, yeah. Mine’s green, imbedded in the hilt…”

Tilla took the gun, turning on the safety. “Who do you think they’re from?”

Kaine shook her head, grimacing. “Whoever it is… we should just watch ourselves.”

Both of the girls looked at her strangely as she left, sending a checkup text to Kimi before heading to bed.

Tilla and Kaine showed their weapons to Andus the next day. He didn’t have much to say, not being able to touch them, except that they both seemed to be exceptionally well made. The girls exchanged a worried glance and buried them in their closets until further information could be obtained about them.

Things went a little longer without any problems, until Eos joked about Oaths at lunch. Circe smiled, practically laying on Kaine as she smiled at her.

“I will be of course protecting my darling wife.” Kaine kissed Circe’s forehead, taking one of her hands. Eos raised an eyebrow at them. “We’ve been friends forever, I can’t abandon her now!”

Giggling, Circe got off as Kaine knelt in front of her.

“I, Kaine Macabre, promise to protect you from all that could harm you. Nothing will ever hurt you, Circe Parable, as long as I live, if you accept my oath.”

“I accept your oath, Kaine.”

Their Marks glowed and colored mist formed ribbons coming from their foreheads. Kaine’s green mist and Circe’s blue twisted together. The braid split and half went back into each.

They blinked at each other and Eos groaned, setting his head on the table. “Guys…”

“Miss Macabre? Miss Parable? Will you both please accompany me to my office?” Both turned to grimace at the High Priestess. They kept their heads bowed as they walked, Kaine squeezing Circe’s hand in comfort.

Circe sat in the chair across from Anmarie, Kaine standing behind her.

“What were you two thinking? Circe, you know very well that you can’t accept an Oath.”

“It’s my fault, I guess, Priestess.” Kaine said, rubbing her own little-Priestess’s shoulders. “I assumed that it wouldn’t take… the handbook says that a Fledging can’t give an Oath…”

Sighing, Anmarie nodded. “It does say that… but in our world, there are many special cases, exceptions to rules like that Kaine.”

“Yeah… I just didn’t think I was one.”

“You’re both on suspension. I want you both confined to your dorm rooms, except classes and training, for the month. And when you are allowed out, Circe does not leave campus without Kaine. Understand, both of you?”

They nodded. Anmarie let Circe go ahead, but lectured Kaine a little longer.

“Do you understand the danger you put yourself in?”

“I didn’t think…”

“I know you didn’t. Kaine, if she rejects the change, the physic pain you’d go through would cause you to reject the change too. As close as the two of you are, feelings she experiences, you will likely feel too!”

“Like an imprint, right?” Kaine sounded pitiful. “I get it. And I’m sorry. But there is nothing we can do, is there?

“No, you’re right. Just, be careful.”

“Yeah… Can I go?”

On her way back, she didn’t make it back to her classes. She didn’t see the person that attacked her.


	8. Remarked

            When Kaine woke up in the infirmary, she was a little disoriented and lightheaded. Anmarie’s gentle hand pushed her back down when she tried to sit up.

            “One of the human custodians found you lying, covered in blood by the fountain. Do you remember what happened?” The priestess asked when the fledgling stared at her blankly.

            Kaine closed her eyes tightly and she bit her lip. Then she felt sick to her stomach and almost didn’t want to say the fragmented memories in her head. “A-A woman. She looked like a vampire out of fiction, fangs, red eyes, white skin…” Then she coughed and gagged. “I-I’m…” Anmarie grabbed a bucket for her to wretch into, rubbing her back.

            “What did she do to you, Kaine?”

            Her face filled with almost all her remaining blood as she looked as far away from the woman as she could. “A lot of things.”

            Anmarie sighed, and it wasn’t a good sigh or a supportive sigh, it was a fucking-god-no-why-is-this-happening-to-me sigh. Kaine looked at her, only to see her own face in a mirror and the blood ran from her face as quickly as it ran to it. “N-No…” The priestess nodded as Kaine touched her forehead, starting to cry.

            “It was covered in so much blood when we brought you in. You’ve been out for almost two days.” She held up a necklace with a silver boxed X pendent. “You were also wearing this. Did she give it to you?”

            Nodding, Kaine looked at the ceiling. She heard Anmarie stand up from her chair. “I’m going to get you something to eat and talk to Nyx. I’ll let everyone see you when your strength is back up.” Kaine nodded again, closing her eyes.

            When Anmarie made it back to her office, a semi-transparent Nyx was already waiting for her. _“You wished to speak to me?”_

            Sighing, Anmarie pushed her frazzled hair out of her face and turned on her coffee pot. “Yeah. Kai-…”

            _“Yes, Kaine Macabre. Quite a remarkable fledgling, isn’t she?”_ Nyx smiled sadly to herself. _“What about her, child?”_

            “You don’t know about her getting attacked? Do y-…” Nyx put a finger over the priestess’s mouth before she started full out yelling. Anmarie crossed her arms as the goddess poured her a cup of coffee.

            _“Yes, I knew. I knew it was going to happen since the day Circe Parable was Marked, and had my suspicions long before. I had accepted her fate by the time Kimi Cookie was Marked.”_ Nyx seemed so collected, calm and all Anmarie wanted to do was scream.

            “A-Are the others… are they safe?” But she whispered.

            _“No. But they are not to become like Kaine. Circe Parable, Cleopatra Darth, Tilla Ceol, and Kimi Cookie were chosen by the same person as Kaine.”_

            “And Eden?”

            Nyx smiled fondly _. “Eden Anastasia was of my choosing: she is cold but also very kind when it is needed of her.”_

            Anmarie held up the necklace she had taken from Kaine. “I found this on her.” Nyx took it with a slight scowl.

            _“Yes, the mark of a fellow deity, she is also a goddess of the night. Your people created themselves in mimic of her, and when she refused your worship I took over as your patron goddess. A few times she has put one of her own among you.”_

            “And Kaine is one of those, with th-…”

            _“Yes. Kaine knows to whom her loyalties lay. She has always known. But, I still consider her one of my own, though she was only mine for a short period of time.”_

            Anmarie nodded and told her to wait, since she had to get Kaine some food.

            When the priestess returned to the infirmary, Kaine was on the floor in a small pool of blood. She set the tray onto a bed as she ran over, pulling the girl up and looking at her wrists to see evidence of clawing on her wrists and fingernails. “No… Kaine!! Kaine, come on you annoying bitch.”

            “Give her some blood.” A smooth but malicious voice said from behind them. Anmarie turned to see the woman Kaine described standing there with a smirk for the ages. “And give her the necklace back; it’ll keep her connected to me.”

            “Who are you?”

            “Kaine’s Goddess. Are you going to let her die? If she dies now, it’ll be on you.” Anmarie moved Kaine back to the bed, slipping the chain back around her neck then running out for some blood.

            When she came back in, Kaine’s wrists were bandaged but there were two small holes in her neck. Anmarie swore as she forced some blood down the fledgling’s throat.

            Kaine woke up a few minutes after Anmarie had finished force feeding her the blood. She looked at her. “Why couldn’t you just…”

            Anmarie sighed, touching Kaine’s forehead. “You’re going to be alright, you know. This makes you special.”

            “Special?” Kaine pulled away, scoffing. “I’m a fucking freak, I already was and now this… she couldn’t just mind her own damned business…”

            “Are you speaking of your goddess?” Kaine glared at her. “I talked to Nyx, she says you know quite a bit more than you’ve lead on.”

            “I didn’t know.” She rested back, sounding tired. “I thought I made her up, you know. But then I saw her and suddenly everything made sense. She destroys everything she touches.”

            “She came here, told me how to save your life.”

            Snorting in grim amusement, Kaine glanced at the priestess. “What use am I to her if I died now?”

            Anmarie grimaced and got the tray of food. “You hungry?”

            Kaine almost smiled. “Always.”

            “If I leave you alone for a little bit, can you promise not to kill yourself?”

            She nodded, digging into the food.

            When she finished her meal, she rolled over to get some more rest. As she fell asleep she found herself in a forest.

            Smiling to herself, she touched the trees as she walked. She felt at home among them, which she assumed at something to do with her almost affinity to Earth. When she came to a clearing she found a woman singing in not-English.

            _Some Native American language,_ Kaine guessed in her head, the words became noise anyway. Nyx turned to smile at her, but Kaine frowned as she moved to turn away.

            Nyx removed all other paths, leaving only the clearing. “ _Kaine. Please, I wish to speak with you, my child._ ”

            Kaine scoffed. “ _I’m not your child_.”

            Nyx touched her forehead. “ _This may have changed, but you are still under my care, in my House. I still love you as my own. Kaine Macabre, Xia has been begging me to Mark you since that first day you met Circe, starting the formation of an unbreakable bond you two have now completed_.”

            She pulled away, her forehead stinging at the first mention of her goddess’s name since being Marked. “ _Remind me of another fuck up. Are all my friends here because of me? Did she ask you to Mark them too!?_ ”

            Nyx nodded and Kaine fell to the ground, wishing she hadn’t asked for conformation as the guilt over whelmed her. “ _What does she want with us?_ ”

            “ _I do not know, but I will help when I can. Your gifts, Cleo, Tilla, Kimi, Circe, were picked by Xia. Eden’s were from me. Through her, I shall help you on whatever path Xia has pushed you onto_.”

            Kaine pulled her knees to her chest. “ _What do I do?_ ”

            “ _Keep training, keep protecting them. Answer Xia’s calls. And please try to stay out of trouble._ ” Nyx touched her shoulder.

            “ _What, so nothing’s changed then?_ ” The fledging looked up at the goddess with pleading eyes.

            “ _No, so much has changed. You’re not the same as other fledglings_.” Kaine blew a breath out her nose and mumbled something that the goddess chose to ignore. “ _The sun will have no effect on you. Your gifts from Xia should be stronger. You’ll need blood, Kaine; you’ll yearn for it constantly, especially human blood. You can’t Imprint with fledglings still, but if you drink a single drop from a human or vampyre, you will Imprint with them._ ”

            “ _And if I broke the Imprint?_ ”

            “ _They’d die, period_.”

            Kaine bit her lip. “ _Great. Fucking great_.”

            “ _Shh, I believe in your self-control. You should too._ ” Nyx then kissed her forehead and she opened her eyes to see Kimi staring down at her in the waking world.


	9. Rejection Hurts

Kimi gave a relieved sigh, seeing her roommate wake up. “You were making awful noises, thought you might not wake up…”

Kaine gave her a sad half-smile. “Thought about it.”

“Glad it was just a thought then.” Kaine noticed her roommate was avoiding looking any higher than her nose. “We were all so worried when they told us what happened… well not everything…”

“Anmarie didn’t let you guys come see me.” It was a simple fact, not a question or an accusation.

“Yeah… said she wanted to know exactly what happened, you were stable so…”

“Its fine, Kimi.” She sat up slightly, seeing a food tray near her bed.

Kimi followed her eyes. “Anmarie says I can take you back to the dorms once you get some food in you, if you’re up to it.”

Kaine nodded. “Can you bring it over here?”

Nodding in return, Kimi set it on her best friend’s lap as she sat next to her on the bed. “H-How does it feel?”

“It doesn’t really feel different… But Nyx said that I am … I suppose _she_ did too…” She took a slight breath. “I can sort of feel the Mark though… How’s it changed… flipped the other way.”

“Mirror.” Kaine looked up when Kimi took the pendent into her hand. “So, she is real then?”

“Yeah, she is. I’m sorry… this is all my f-…”

Shushing her, the older girl shook her head as she ran her finger through her friend’s hair. “It’s not, sissy. It’s Xia’s fault. You think the rest are real?”

Shrugging, the warrior went back to eating, mumbling something along the lines of “I hope not.”

Anmarie came in just as Kaine was finishing up her food. She set a glass filled with red liquid, which Kimi was looking at disgustedly, onto the tray. “If you finish this, you can go back to your room.”

Rolling her eyes, Kaine stared at the glass. “I’m **fine** , I don’t need it.”

“You lost a lot of blood, Miss Macabre.”

“And you already forced half of it back in me.”

“And you still look as pale as a ghost.”

Closing her eyes, Kaine took a few breaths out of her mouth because the scent was intoxicating and she was sure if she smelled it, she’d attack the glass like a wild animal.

“Sure looks like you want to drink it, Kaine.”

Kimi spoke up. “Is that blood? Kaine’s just a third fo-…”

“I’m not like you and the others anymore, Kimi.” She glanced at Anmarie and caved at the stern glare. She picked up the glass, originally planning to sip it slowly, but ended up chugging so fast she almost choked.

Anmarie and Kimi were both looking at her bizarrely. Anmarie cleared her throat. “I’ll get a mini fridge and some blood in your room as soon as I can. Go ahead and get home.” As the Priestess left, Kimi gave her roommate some clean clothes and pulled the curtain.

When they got outside, the normal Fledgling squinted in the dimmed sunlight, pulling up her hood and sliding on her sunglasses. The Mirror looked up at the overcast sky with a smile, loving seeing the sun again after months of darkness. “I think I may start tanning.” Kimi pushed her gently as she chuckled.

Kimi settled into bed. “Shouldn’t you be getting some sleep too?”

Kaine shrugged. “I don’t think I’m going to class tomorrow… w-what day is it?”

Frowning, Kimi rolled over. She was exhausted after having to act serious for her roommate’s benefit.

The next morning, evening-wake up, when Circe walked into the bathroom, she squeaked in surprise. Kaine moved her focus from her reflection to her priestess. “Hey.”

Circe hugged her suddenly, tightly, sending Kaine stumbling back slightly. Then the Priestess-to-be slapped her. “You’ve been gone for three days and you say ‘hey’?”

“Ow… that hurt.” Kaine nursed her cheek slightly, looking back at the mirror. “That’s gonna leave a mark.”

“Speaking of Marks…” Circe forced Kaine to look at her. “What happened to yours?”

“Xia happened.” She nuzzled into her priestess when she was hugged again. “I’m still going to protect you.”

“And who is going to protect you, stupid?”

Cleo came in, rubbing her eyes. “Circe, who are you ta-… Kaine. Welcome back.” She beamed at her before running out to get the two across the hall.

Tilla had a similar reaction as Circe and Kaine was relieved to know all her friends were glad to know she was safe, but they were all being a bit ridiculous. She noticed Eden looking knowingly annoyed, but shooed them all off to class.

After she finally got them all out, she lay down, getting the sleep she neglected.

A few hours later she woke up to the sound of her door opening. She opened her eyes slightly, assuming it someone force feeding her cold cafeteria food.

“Skipping class?” Kaine sat straight up and fumbled for her sword, which she had moved from her closet to her under her bed while Kimi was sleeping, upon hearing the voice. “Tsk tsk my dear.”

“Stay away from me.”

Xia put her finger on the tip of the sword and moved it out of her face. “You going to stab me, Kaine?” The goddess smirked at the girl’s terrified face. “I gave you so many beautiful gifts, and you treat me like this?”

“What you did was not a gift.” Kaine replied coldly. “I almost died.”

She grimaced and nodded indecisively, attempting to decide if the mortal had a point. Walking closer and smacking the sword out of the Kaine’s hand, Xia touched Kaine’s new Mark. “Had you kept the old one, you would have rejected the Change. That type of Vampyre and you are not compatible. I did you a kindness.”

Kaine flinched at the touch, a jolt of echo pain shooting through her body. “Why?”

“A normal fledgling cannot withstand the strain the gifts and trials put on you. Do you remember the pain of the mind reading before Earth chose you?” Xia sat next to her on the bed. “You should not be sleeping. Practicing, combing the library, canvasing the city, getting laid, anything else really; there is much to do.”

Grumbling something about priorities, Kaine scooted farther away. “What would I even be looking for?”

“The darkness, of course. Always a darkness. Very few truly bad things are light, and those that are, are the worst of them all.”

Looking at Xia smugly, she rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s a bit of evil sitting right in front of me.”

“Well, yes, but I’m currently not threatening the safety of the general planet, am I?” Smiling at her brightly, she pecked a kiss on Kaine’s lips and got up.

“Are you?”

Shrugging the goddess left. Kaine got up and looked up and down the hall. Xia was nowhere to be seen.

She forced herself to get dressed, strapping her sword onto her belt, and after doubling checking the day, she headed to warrior training.

When she walked in she noticed something was off. Counting heads, she noted a missing Matt, Cleo’s almost boyfriend. Eos spotted her before the rest and walked over. She looked at him sadly and spoke before he could get a word out. “He rejected the Change?”

“Yeah…”

“Has anyone told Cleo yet?”

“She was there, Kaine. It happened at lunch.”

Kaine punched the closest solid object, which happened to be Siegfried.

“Ow…” Sieg massaged his slowly bruising shoulder. “You al-… what happened to your Mark?”

Glaring at him, Kaine sent the timid boy away. “How is she doing?”

“According to Tilla, she’s been crying over his body in the infirmary since. Circe’s with her.”

Sighing and nodding, Kaine smiled slightly. “Circe would be.” She looked past him to Andus. “Our house doesn’t lose a lot of fledglings… why now…”

“Kaine? Calm down, you’ve been through a lot lately, let’s not…” Eos sighed. “Let’s go and talk in our secret spot.”

Andus shouted to them as they left. Kaine motioned at him, indicating she knew. “Yeah, yeah. As often as she asks for me, you’d think she had a crush on me.”

Eos chuckled. “Yeah, but you’re too high maintenance for her.”


	10. The Manuscript

Eos wasn’t entirely sure how Kaine had convinced him to go to the semi-crowded library, but he knew he had no idea what the hell he was looking for and Kaine looked pretty adamant in her search.

On a whim, he pulled a very old looking, but somehow still together, manuscript. The book wasn’t in English or any language he recognized. It looked pretty reminiscent of Tolkien’s elfish. As he flipped through it, the pictures were pretty clear however. He took it over to Kaine, after he was sufficiently creeped out by the illustrations.

“This may be pretty useless… but, I think this is what you’re looking for.” He held it out to her, open to a picture of a Mirror being marked. Kaine looked sick as she took the book.

“What do you mean useless?” She was staring at the page, pain starting to take over the nausea.

“It’s in some weird language…”

“No, it’s not…” Kaine glared up at him. “I can read it per-… fuck.” She closed it a little more harshly than necessary. “Let’s get out of here.”

Eos followed, attempting to ask questions, but gave up when he noticed she was ignoring him. She stopped just outside the girls’ dorm. He pulled her around to face him, cupping her cheek.

“What’s up with you? I’m worried about you.” He smiled down at her sadly.

Sighing, she attempted to pull away, but he gently kept her looking at him. “Look at me Eos, I’m different… and now this dumb book…”

“Kaine, did that… in that book, did that happened to you?” She paled and tried pulling away from him. He was having none of that and pressed his lips to hers. Dropping the book from shock, Kaine leaned into the kiss with a slightly desperate groan. When he pulled back he was rubbing her cheek. “I don’t care if you’re different… I still want you. I’ll protect you.”

Nodding dumbfounded, she picked up the book and pointed at the door. “I need to go do a thing… talk to Tilla.”

He chuckled and gave her a quick peck before walking away. Kaine wasn’t sure why it was Tilla she had to talk to, but she knew that kiss was unexpected and perfect.

Eden and Tilla were sitting on the floor in front of their mini-flat screen, gaming. Kaine rolled her eyes as they both acknowledged her without looking at her. They both turned to her as a cutscene started. Tilla looked devastated and Kaine assumed her character died and Eden’s beat the boss. Eden’s eyes went to the book, seemingly examining it.

Rolling her eyes, Kaine handed it over and sat on her bed, rubbing her face. Tilla moved next to her. “What’s up, weirdo?”

“Eos found that book, looking at it… I needed to talk to you.”

“Me? Why me?”

Eden handed the book back. “Why’d you bring this fucking thing? It’s not English.”

Opening it up, Tilla skimmed it over. “Well I think you’re stupid. I can read it.”

“No, Eos couldn’t read it either.” Kaine sighed, rubbing her neck. “I can, and you can... I don’t know Tilla…”

“That’s weird. You two just up and know a freaky language when neither of you speak English all that well?” Both girls glared at Eden, who rolled her eyes as she took her cat and went downstairs.

“She has a point though Kaine…” Tilla flipped through the book. “I mean, you I get, but me? Sure I’ve got Air and a weird familiar… but I’m a pretty normal fledgling, right?”

“Familiar? Wh-…”

Tilla whistled and a small fox crawled out from under Eden’s bed and barked happily while she ran to Tilla. “Kaine, met Dagda, Dagda Kaine.” The fledgling put the animal on her friend’s lap.

Kaine petted it, looking rather nervous. “Tilla, I don’t know if you know this, but this is a canine…”

Chuckling, Tilla hugged the fox to her chest. “That’s why she’s a little weirdo! Anmarie asked me if I was sure it wasn’t yours.”

Kaine stood up suddenly. “Fuck… I was supposed to go see her…”

“What else is new? Want the book?”

“Nah, you read over it for a while…” Then Kaine was heading out. Eden noticed her leave and went back up to her room, feeling like she had been avoiding the Mirror.

Tilla still had the book open in her lap. She was looking in horror at a page. Eden sat next to her, understanding her horror. “What does the text say?”

Shaking her head with tears in her eyes. “You don’t want to know, Eden.” Rubbing her back, Eden encouraged her to read it. “‘The transformation into a Mirror is very painful, especially to those previously Marked as children of Nyx. It is done directly by the Goddess Xia; she cuts the forehead, making the shape of the crescent, and covers any previous Marks thoroughly. She then takes the fledgling’s blood as her own and puts the child into a slumber. During the sleep, the painful process of a partial Change occurs, causing the Mirror to have fitful dreams. The dreams are usually prophecies that will not be able to later be recalled, along with knowledge of pain within the soul due to various things, such as physic torture. Upon waking, the new Mirror will be at unease due to lingering dreams, in pain due to the physical changes, and very hungry for blood. Many die shortly after, due to neglecting their needs as a Mirror Fledgling’…”

“Kaine is fucking fucked.” Eden said simply, taking the book away from Tilla.

“She’s going to be fine! She’s super tough!” Tilla didn’t believe it herself. “You’re right; she’s just a tough outer shell… all gooey inside.”

“Of course, I’m always right.” Eden grimaced, looking away. She knew something wasn’t right, and might’ve known what if she hadn’t been ignoring her Goddess-given gifts. “Let’s see if we can get to the final boss today, huh? Then we can give Kaine a big ol’ hug when she gets back, eh?” Of course Tilla couldn’t pass up a chance to level-grind.

When Kaine entered the temple, she saw the two priestesses and sighed, walking over to them. Cleo was curled up in a ball, sitting between a lit blue and red candle; Circe was calmly rubbing her back, not saying anything. The Mirror grabbed a match and a green candle before sitting down with them. Circe smiled at her and Cleo arbitrarily acknowledged her.

“Earth, come and comfort my friend alongside your sisters Fire and Water, please. Give her strength to carry on after the loss of a loved one, but also solidify his memory in her heart. Take him back into you gently. Please, help Cleo.” The scent of freshly dug earth and newly mowed grass settled in with the scents of the ocean and a well-tended fire.

Both smiled at her. Circe rubbed her arm. “That was beautiful Kaine.” Cleo then frowned slightly. “You didn’t even like him.”

Shrugging, Kaine stood up. “True, but he was a good warrior, and he cared for you deeply.”

“Thank you, Kaine.”

“Yep, this weekend, I was thinking of sneaking out and getting some retail therapy?”

Circe groaned. “We’re grounded.”

The warrior smirked and went upstairs, hearing both girls think that she was probably in more trouble. She agreed with their assumptions and barged into Anmarie’s office.

Her stomach dropped when she saw Nyx and Xia sitting on opposite sides of the room and a very frazzled High Priestess. Kaine was in big trouble, extremely big trouble.


	11. Fragile Souls

Anmarie walked over to the girl, whispering in her ear. “They won’t leave, and they keep bickering like a married couple, I feel like a marriage counselor.”

Kaine glanced at the Goddesses. “They’re celestial beings: they can hear you.”

“Just help me.”                    

Rolling her eyes the fledgling looked at Nyx, with a smile. “What did you need from me?”

They both sighed, speaking in unison. “I just wanted to talk to Anmarie and then _she_ showed up.”

Kaine nodded a few times, looking _very_ done. “What did you need to speak to her about?”

“You.”

“Then how is that not wanting something from me?”

Both of them shrugged and continued glaring at each other. Kaine pinched the bridge of her nose as she glanced at Anmarie.

“I think you’re on your own with this.” When Anmarie looked like the Warrior-ess had just threatened to shove her in a tank of unfed sharks, Kaine sighed and turned back to the pair of Goddesses. “Alright, Nyx, what did you need to speak to Anmarie about?”

“ _I wished to warn her of impending danger to you, her, and the entire city that Xia has brought.”_

“Okay, well, I’ll let Anmarie take care of impending doom…” She then turned to Xia. “And you?”

“I wanted to talk to you about the book, but you didn’t have the book when I showed up.”

Kaine frowned. The book. The book that she left Tilla and Eden. “W-What book?”

Xia got up as Anmarie and Nyx were looking at the teen suspiciously. She took Kaine’s arm and led her downstairs and outside. Kaine struggled until they got down the stairs, then was very glad when she saw Cleo and Circe had left.

“So, what do you think of the book so far?” Xia asked as she leaned against the tall concrete wall that separated the House of Night from the City of Baltimore.

Kaine stared at her, shaking her head. “Why can only I read it?”

“It’s the divine language. Every God can choose one mortal soul to read it.” Xia smiled. “Many of us choose not to because we forget that speaking it to many of you would make your mortal body explode.”

“And Nyx chose Tilla? I thought Eden was her errand girl!” Kaine rubbed her neck.

“No. Only your mortal soul has the ability currently, were it whole, it would be strong enough to maintain the vessel upon hearing or speaking it.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a chapter about souls in the book. You should go read it.” Planting a peck on Kaine’s lips, Xia somehow swung over the wall, disappearing.

Groaning, the fledging walked back to her dorm. The book was back on her desk and Kimi was glancing at it like it was swearing at her. When the Mirrored fledgling sat down, a cat immediately made her lap a bed. Ignoring the feline, Kaine opened the book, scanning the first few pages, grimacing at the warnings and some of the titles listed in the table of contents.

Kimi was now staring at Kaine like she had grown a tree out of her head. “Kaine…”

Looking at her roommate, the Mirror frowned. “What’s wrong Kimi-Kimi?”

“What is that book?”

“I-It’s… it’s like… from Xia. I’m supposed to read it.” She took a shaky breath. “According to her… Only I can read it currently… b-but Tilla…”

“Y-Yeah… her and Eden showed us the one page…”

Kaine paled. “The page about w-what happened to me?” Kimi nodded and the Mirror went back to the book.

After reading the section on mortal souls, she shut the book and glanced at Kimi. “H-Hey, come here for a second.” Giving her a weird look, the normal fledgling walked over as Kaine held up her hand.

“What are…” She put her hand, fingers closed, flat up against Kaine’s hand, locking her fingers so Kaine couldn’t flex her own. “What?”

Nodding slightly, Kaine got up without explanation, going through the bathroom to Cleo and Circe’s room. She walked up to her Priestess and held out her hand. As Circe stared at her in confusion, she reached out and separated Kaine’s pinky with her own in a promise.

Again Kaine left without any words and burst into Tilla and Eden’s room. She held her hand out to Tilla, like she had before. Tilla grasped Kaine’s hand, without intertwining their fingers. Kaine took a few deep breaths. “Well… that explains a lot.”

Using the hand hold as leverage, she pulled Tilla up and led her down and outside behind the dorms.

“Kaine, what the hell are you doing?” Tilla demanded, taking her hand back.

“Testing.” Kaine rubbed her hand and stared into space. “You and I are the only people that can read that book, on this whole planet.”

“What?! That’s impossible!”

Kaine shook her head. “What I was testing is soul connections.”

“What?”

“Mortal souls are flexible, but can’t be broken. There are people that can cut them though…” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Ours was cut.”

“Cut?  Ours? What?”

“There’s a part I read… Xia told me to… It explains all the ways souls can be connected. There’s twins, mates, bonds, supporters, and what we are, literally two halves of a whole.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“Xia and Nyx keep telling me I’m strong, but I’m not as strong as I truly am because I’m only a part!” Kaine threw her hands up and took Tilla’s shoulders. “You get it, I can see it in your head.”

Tilla frowned. “Damn mind reader.”

“Kimi makes our soul stronger with hers… and we’re bonded to Circe, who has an identical soul as Cleo, and I’m not really sure ho-… oh, that’s how huh?”

Blushing, she pulled away. “It’s a little crush. Don’t go jumping to conclusions that her and I are soulmates or something dumb.” Punching Kaine weakly, she sighed. “How is Cleo and Circe’s situation different than ours?”

“They’re just the same at the unchangeable core… or something… you and I, we’re different because we’re two halves. A-and if one of dies, apparently, if we let it, we get the other half.”

Paling, Tilla shook her head. “What do you mean?”

“It was unclear about that…” Kaine sighed. “Are you going to tell her, Eden?”

“No! I mean, if we’re two halves of a whole, it wouldn’t mean much now…” She sighed too. “What are you going to do?”

Kaine shrugged, walking off to the males’ dorms.


	12. Responsibilities and Needs

Tilla groaned and went back upstairs; she laid on her bed, mumbling about killing Kaine. Eden chuckled, reclining back, petting her cat with one hand and holding a book above her head with the other. Baghera bit her and when she looked over it was not her cat that she saw but Nyx.

“You had to have my cat bite me to talk to me?” Eden sat up, though she knew it was just happening in her head.

“ _He asked me to speak with you.”_ Nyx replied sitting next to her the bed. “ _He’s worried you’ve been neglecting your responsibilities._ ”

Eden grimaced. “Fair enough.”

Nyx put her hand on the fledgling’s shoulder and nodded at Tilla’s form across the room, frozen due to Eden’s righteous hallucination. Eden looked at her with a loving smile, but then frowned as she thought of Kaine. Sighing the Goddess, squeezed slightly. “ _You know what she is to you, Eden. Why must you deny your gifts?”_

“I don’t want any of this!” Eden stood up, yelling at the Goddess frantically. “I don’t want to have to choose between Tilla and Kaine; I don’t want to have to see into everyone’s lives!”

Nyx reached out to her as Eden fell to her knees, crying. “I-I don’t want to have to -…” Eden couldn’t hear the last word she said as her ears started ringing.

Tilla was now very concerned about her supposed soulmate, she hadn’t responded for almost two minutes now. She looked over at her, seeing her crying.

She leapt up, unwittingly hurting herself, and knelt at her roommate’s bed. “Eden?”

Eden sat up, wiping her tears as she looked at Tilla. “Oh… h-hey…”

“Why are you crying?”

Shaking her head, Eden pushed herself away. “N-Nothing… Nyx just chewing me out again.”

“Well maybe if you just used your gift, helped us out…” Tilla looked away when Eden glared at her. “Kaine’s mentioned you have an amazing gift.”

“How would she know? Big bad warrior, mind reader?” Eden was now yelling at Tilla.

“Yeah.”

Eden sat back down on her bed, shaking her head but saying nothing. Tilla said her name a few times before she went back to her bed and pulled out her DS.

Both were resigned to let the other speak first.

Kaine was a little flustered as she walked into the boys’ dorms for the first time. There weren’t any rules or curfews, why should there be — Vampyres were infertile, but Eos and Seig had always come over to the girls’ dorm when the lot of them hung out. She wasn’t sure where Eos’ room was, but she asked a male that she recognized from one of her classes.

When she got upstairs, she stopped at the door. She had to collect herself. Maybe it was too soon to be knocking at his door. Maybe it made her look needy. Then she groaned, because she _was_ needy, desperately so.

The door opened before she could knock. Eos raised an eyebrow at her. “Took you long enough.” Kaine chuckled nervously then coughed, her eyes moving off him. Before she could get a word out, Eos was pulling her in by the neck for a kiss. She returned it eagerly, pushing him gently into the room, struggling to shut the door behind them.

Eos pushed her against it, moving his hands to her waist. Kaine groaned against his lips, allowing his tongue entrance as her hands moved into his curly mop of hair and pulled him closer.

They broke apart when there was a nervous throat clearing behind them. Kaine looked past Eos and saw Siegfried getting up. “I-I’m… le-leaving…” Nodding, Kaine and Eos separated further, each going on opposite sides of the door.

Once Sieg left, they sat on Eos’ bed with their hands interlocked tightly. They sat in silence, annoying Kaine. With anyone else, she’d read their mind and answer the question.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” He said it first, glancing at her.

She frowned, squeezing his hand tighter. “How annoying it is that I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

Laughing, he pulled their hands up and kissed her fingers. “Maybe I’ll keep it that way.” Kaine started to pull her hand away. “Stop frowning. You’re so much prettier when you smile.”

“My attractiveness isn’t on my list of things I currently care about, especially now.”

Eos took her cheek in his free hand. “I still hate seeing you frown. I don’t want you to be anything but happy.”

“You’re such a fucking sap.” All the same she pressed her face into his hand. “I bet you use these lines on all the girls.”

He chuckled, kissed her Mark. She grimaced, pulling away.  Sighing, Eos released her. “Now I know what you’re thinking.”

Kaine looked at him, still frowning, on the verge of tears.

“I don’t care about the Mark Kaine. Even if you didn’t have one, I’d still love you.”

Her eyes widened at his words. “You _what?_ ”

“I love you. I love you Kaine.”

She stopped breathing, taking her face into her hands. She was supposed to love Eden. Eden was her fucking **soulmate** for gods’ sake. No… Eden was her **and** Tilla’s soulmate, more Tilla’s than hers. Right now, there was nothing Kaine could expect from Eden.

“Kaine? I’m sorry…” He touched her shoulder lightly. She shook her head, kissing him sweetly.

“No, it’s okay… I love you too… I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you too.” Smiling against her lips, Eos continued the kiss, pulling her on top of him.

After the second morning Kaine woke up in Eos’s room, in his bed and somehow still covered in cats, she rolled and nuzzled her face into his neck. He was still sleeping, but she didn’t mind. She liked watching him sleep. Her fingers trailed over his vein and he shivered, her mouth started watering as she felt his pulse.

“N-No…” She pulled her hand back and fell off the bed with a thump. Eos got out of bed and looked down at her.

“Kaine?” When she didn’t look up at him, he sighed and crawled onto the floor with her. He reached out to pull her hands away from her, one from her chest the other from her face. Kaine pulled away and he grabbed her. “Look at me, are you okay?”

Shaking her head, she stood up, gathering her clothes. “No… I don’t want to hurt you.”

Before he could catch her again, she had on enough of her clothes that she was leaving. Eos tried chasing after her, but she was gone.

Kimi was up. “Aren’t you grounded?” She asked her roommate, not looking up at her.

Kaine didn’t reply, rushing to the mini fridge. “W-We’re out?” She curled up in a ball, digging her nails into her legs. Kimi sighed, kneeling down in front of her.

“What happened?”

“I could’ve killed him.”

Rolling her eyes, the older girl shook Kaine’s shoulders. “No, you didn’t. If you asked him, I’m sure he’d let you drink from him. You need blood, right Kaine?”

As she got up, Kaine grimaced. “I wish I didn’t, not yet. I’m going to get a shower. I promised Cleo and Circe a shopping trip.”

“Can I come?”

“Yeah… yeah, if you want.” Then Kaine was disappearing into the bathroom.


	13. Guilt Trip

Kaine came back through the bathroom, with Cleo and Circe in tow. Kimi glanced up at them. “How are we going to get to the mall?”

The three priestesses’ looked at Kaine and the warrior frowned. “Grand theft auto?” When they glared at her, she rolled her eyes. “Anmarie said we could use one of the campus cars.”

“When did you get your license?” Cleo looked at her suspiciously.

“Didn’t.” She threw a set of keys at Circe. Circe frowned but nodded; she didn’t have much experience driving but was the only one present able to drive a car. “But we need to make a stop on campus, before we go.”

They stopped by the temple, the three regular fledglings standing outside, shielding their eyes from the sun. When Kaine came out, the three all pointed at the corners of their mouths. Swearing, the mirror wiped the blood off her mouth.

“We ready to go?”

They then moved their pointing to their covered up Marks and she swore again. “Can’t cover mine with makeup.” Cleo rolled her eyes and rummaged through her bag before handing over a bandage. Grimacing, Kaine slapped it on her forehead. “I look so dumb, I know. Let’s just go.”

Groggy, the four girls didn’t talk much as they drove to the mall, which wasn’t even technically a mall. The small shopping center at the harbor for tourists just happened to be the only one they knew how to get to, mostly.

After breakfast, and Cleo almost breaking a human girl’s nose over a pair of shoes, they were finally fully aware and talkative.

Groaning, Kaine was very annoyed that it was her life that they were going to talk about.

Circe started, with a disapproving click of her tongue. “You just left? You fucked him, tried to kill him, then ran out? What the hell Kaine!?”

“You didn’t even explain to him? Does he even know you need blood?” Cleo added.

Kimi was silent, having already chewed her out on this.

“Seriously, my sex life? Of all the fucked up things in my life, we have to talk about my relationship with Eos?” Kaine glared at the twin souls.

“Yeah.” The two said together.

“Fucking Christ.” Kaine ran her fingers through her hair as she looked at a super bitchin’ dress through a store window. “I’ll talk to him when we get back. I need to talk to him anyway. My love life doesn’t even make it on my priorities list, but he’s a good de-stresser.”

The three gave her very judgmental looks.

“Okay, Jesus. Is it like rag on Kaine day? Make Macabre feel like shit week?” The looks they gave her, plus their thoughts, told her that it was indeed those things. “Look, I like Eos, a lot, like a shit ton… and he’s great and helpful, and things… but he’s not my main priority. Keeping Xia from killing anyone and figuring out what the fuck she wants me to do is way more important.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” Circe conceded. “But talk to him. He can help, he’s a warrior and he’s smart.”

The other two nodded.

Kaine looked for an excuse to change the subject. “So, Circe, how’s your boy thing?”

Circe blushed. “Good, I was hoping to see him soon, you know… whatever.”

“Ah, well, he going to come by the school or you going to meet him some place?”

“Probably a movie.”

“Well, I definitely need to come then, or Anmarie is going to kill me.”

“What are you talking about, Kaine?”

“She said every time you leave campus, I have to come with, because I’m your warrior.”

Circe nodded in agreement and frowned. “Mom also said she was going to come down soon, but we might stay on campus.”

The other three grimaced, not one of them had talked to their guardians since they got to the House of Night beyond a “miss you” text a week or two in. Kaine worried that her priestess’s connection to her human life was too strong and might weaken her.

They went back to shopping. In a particularly large and crowded store, Kaine got separated from the other three. She was pulling her phone out to text the others when a figure approached her.

“Hey.”

The warrior looked up at the greeting and frowned. “Yo.” An ordinary looking human black girl smiled at her.

“You look a little lost.” She said, bouncing slightly. “Need some help?”

“Uh… I sort of lost my friends in the crowd, which is sad because it’s a small mall and my friends are weird looking.” Kaine glanced down at the phone to type a few more letters.

“Do you need some help? Or maybe some company?”

“I guess? Maybe?”

“Cool! My name’s Emma!”

“Kaine.” Then she shook her phone. “How the fuck don’t I have service?”

“That’s weird… Are you from around here?”

“Just moved here, well not just, but first time I’ve gone out…” Kaine shrugged.

“Oh, where do you live?”

Giving the girl a slightly worried glance, Kaine ventured to read her mind. The girl, Emma, was a little creepy and so were her thoughts. _Wow… she’s so pretty. Those eyes are so green. The name Kaine’s a little weird… but those eyes… and the bandage on her head, how’d she hurt herself there?_

“Out near the edge of town…” Kaine said nervously.

“Oh? Like out near where those fucking Vampyres live?”

Well, good to know her species was a sore spot. Her thoughts didn’t tell her why, just that she really hated bloodsuckers. “Uh, sort of?”

“What do you think of them?”

That’s when Kaine heard the thoughts of her friends, worrying about her, and cursing. Then she looked around and spotted Kimi’s hair. “Oh, there are my friends. Thanks for the company.”

“No problem!” She sounded sad. “I’ll see you around?”

“S-Sure.” Kaine practically ran away from the girl. The three sighed with relief when they saw her. “Can we go? I think I got myself a stalker?”

They all followed her eyes to where Emma was still standing, watching.

“What she say?”

“It’s what she thought, what she’s thinking. Can we go?”

The three laughed, walking toward the door. “It’s karma.”

“For what?”

“For what happened with Eos.”

When they got back to school, Kaine went to the male dorms because of her friends bugging her. Eos was absent, but his and Sieg’s neighbor said that the two were in the warrior’s gym.

When she entered, Sieg ran away to the locker room, despite Eos’ protests. Kaine leaned against the door frame, watching him.

“What do you want Kaine?” Oh, he was seriously upset about this morning.

“I’m sorry…” She said, looking away. “I’m so sorry…”

“Yeah, right. If you were sorry, why’d you run out like that?!” He screamed it at her and she cringed.

“I didn’t want to hurt you.” She whispered it as he walked closer.

“You did.”

“I don’t mean this…” Kaine ran a hand through her hair and looked up at him finally. Her eyes went straight to his throat and she wondered how she didn’t previously realize how thirsty she was… “I-I… All I want to do is rip your throat out.”

“O- _oh_ … w-what?”

“I need blood Eos, you have blood.” She shook her head and held out her hand to stop him from coming closer. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Kaine, you’re a third former… you can’t…”

Pointing at her Mark seemed to cut him off well enough. “Please, just stay away from me.”

“Maybe I want you to drink from me?” He walked closer, running the back of his hand along the vein on her neck. “The handbook and all the upperclassmen say it’s pleasurable, for both…”

She whimpered and shivered at the touch. “I hate you.”

“No you don’t.” He kissed her gently. “Are you hungry now?”

As she nodded, she moved to push him against the wall, staring at him hungrily. “Are you sure? I might be different, I might just… I might hurt you…”

“If you do, then we’ll have to figure something out.”

With a slight groan, she bit into his neck. He winced slightly as first, then started moaning without reserve, pulling her closer. When she pulled away, Eos kissed her passionately.


	14. Moonless

She was on her way to botany a few days later when Xia stepped out from behind a tree. Kaine put her hand over her heart after shrieking. A few other students gave her and Xia, especially Xia, weird looks as they past. The warrior grabbed the Goddess’s arm and hauled her out of sight.

“Be careful with the merchandise love, break it you bought it.” Xia said as she rubbed her arm.

Kaine held the bridge of her nose and prayed to Nyx for the gift of patience. “What are you doing here?”

“Just checking up on you. How are you doing? I’ve heard you finally started drinking fresh blood.”

“Yeah. The bagged blood just wasn’t doing it.”

“And soon fledgling blood will not be enough.” The goddess turned away from the girl and glanced up at the sky.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a growing girl, but so are they. Their blood doesn’t have quite what you need to keep you from… from, well, losing your melon.”

“And what is it that I _need_?”

“Stable DNA. Fledglings haven’t decided what they are yet.”

“Fine. I’ll figure something out.” Kaine pulled out her phone and checked the time. “Is there anything else you need, I’m .late for class.”

A smirk spreading across her face, Xia turned towards her again. “For you to do some homework and find out the name of your enemy.”

Kaine covered her face in annoyance with a groan. When she looked back up the goddess was gone.

After her classes, she got to her room and pulled the book off her desk. She went downstairs to turn one of the TV’s to something she could use as mindless background noise. She paged through the book, skimming pages and titles and pictures.

Tilla sat with her for a while, reading over her shoulder. She pointed out pretty pictures and wrinkled her nose at particularly unpleasant prose. Circe stopped by to ask Kaine if it was alright for them to do something that weekend before going to a meeting with the Dark Daughter leaders. Cleo and Kimi walk by, their cats in tow, and mention something about Kaine working too hard. When Eden came and lounged on the couch, changing the channel on Kaine, Tilla left mentioning something about Siegfried and the other boys.

“If I had known that everyone was just going to bug me down here, I would’ve went and found a dark corner somewhere else.”

“Don’t be stupid. You’d ruin your eyes if you tried to read in a dark corner.” Eden scoffed at her, but smiling at her kindly.

“I fucking hate you.”

“No you don’t. You lo~ve me.”

Kaine pulled at the throw pillow she was leaning on then threw it at her friend. “What do you want, anyway?”

“I just wanted to watch some TV with my friends.” The fledgling defended as she put her arms across her chest.

The warrior shut the book slightly and looked at her friend with skepticism.

“So you know how Nyx gave me a couple of powers, right?”

Nodding, Kaine shut the book the rest of the way and sat up. “And that she told you to watch out for me, make sure I don’t do something stupid.”

“I hate that you’re a mind reader.”

“I love that I’m a mind reader.” Kaine smirked at her and scooted a little closer. “But seriously, what is it that you wanted to talk about?”

“Why don’t you just read my mind?” Eden gave her friend a harsh look.

“Because I’d rather you tell me.”

The dark haired girl continued giving the other one a harsh look for a while, while Kaine was giving her pleading glances. Soon she sighed and relaxed. “It’s Eos.”

“What about Eos?” Kaine mumbled, her eyebrows creasing warily.

“I don’t see him.” When the mirror simply blinked at her, Eden sighed and tried again with more detail. “So, you know that I can see the social web of the school right? I see how people are connected, friendships, mentorships, romance, ect, right? You and Circe are tightly bound, even now I see you both twitching towards each other. Circe and Cleo are so similar, that you are the only reason I can tell them apart. I see how everyone’s connected. Eos isn’t in the web I see. It’s not even like he’s not there, because he is, I just have now idea how he fits.”

Breathing through her nose, Kaine nodded slowly. “I can’t read his mind. It’s probably the same thing that’s blocking your abilities. You should ask Nyx about it.”*/

“Nyx? You want me to ask Nyx something? The woman can’t give a straight answer.”

“Alright, I see your point. I’ve asked him about it, but it doesn’t seem like he really knows anything about it. Why did you bring it up?”

“Because I don’t like it. He’s like a giant malfunction in my radar, Kaine. He could be ridiculously important, but I can’t tell because he’s just a searing white dot in my vision that seemingly nothing is connected to.” Eden stood up then and shook her head. “Never mind. Forget I ever brought it up.”

“No, it’s okay, I understand your concern.” But Eden left anyway, despite Kaine protests. She was thankful for the peace at least, and returned to skimming through her book.

It was a few days later that Kaine had read through enough entries to come up with a few candidates for enemies. At dinner, she pulled out a notebook and cleared her throat.

“How likely do you think it is that Xia wants me to slay dragons?”

“I’m not entirely sure Xia isn’t a dragon.” Circe replied with a grimace.

Tilla made a noise while she chewed, hitting the table. Kaine stared at her until she swallowed and spoke. “Okay, so I read that article and it basically read that they have never been and never will be things in the US and that there’s only like three left and they’re all male.”

Nodding, the warrior crossed off the word dragons sadly. She really wanted to slay some dragons. She listed off a few more possibilities that were even more ridiculous than dragons. Finally she was looking at one other possibility.

“There are these things call the Noir.”

“With that title, that seems pretty promising.” Cleo snorted.

“What are they?” Kimi asked

“It came with a legend of how vampyres came to be.”

“Joy. Probably filled with cryptic riddles.” Eden stabbed at her food and glared at her friend.

Kaine shrugged and pulled out the book to read verbatim.

_Three young immortals, Goddesses, were tasked with overseeing the moon by the God of the Sun. The eldest, daughter of a creature many mortals would later call Satan, Hekate, was given the waxing crescent to the first quarter. Selene, the youngest of the three and daughter of the highest celestial, was given the largest portion of the cycle: the first quarter to the third quarter. A Goddess by her own right, the personification of night itself, Nyx received the remaining portion of the moon’s cycle from third quarter to waning crescent. Their mark became one of a circle flanked by two crescents, and they placed it on everything they touched._

_Fate and War set them apart. Hekate was cast onto the Earth, with Selene sent in pursuit with the purpose to kill. Both were confined to mortal forms, Hekate’s power causing her to lust for the blood of mortals and Selene’s form being nonconforming, allowing to her switch into forms other than that which looked like a human._

_Humankind saw Hekate’s power as something to strive for, and they were lured to her, mimicking her manors to become the same as her. She refused to aid those that worshiped her, and Selene was not able to comfort them as they became something other than human. Nyx welcomed these souls to herself when they looked to the remaining Goddess of the Moon and Night, and they became children of the night._

_Names changed over time, as cultures changed, as the Greeks lost power. Hekate became Hecate: a witch portrayed with three faces. Children of the Night kept the story true, Hekate becoming Xia, and Selene referred to as Luna, and Nyx remaining the same._

_These new Children of Night were not without enemies in their early years. A group formed to hunt them, worshippers of the sun. These People of Sun, marked themselves with yellow stars and only traveled under the light of the sun. They changed, unable to walk in the light of the moon and growing with new strengths._

_Some found that even if they could not be in the reflected light, they could walk if there was no light from the moon. Many that stepped into the night could never step into the light again, whether it be from the sun or moon. These creatures became tainted, their hatred growing for all others while they hid in the sewers. On moonless nights, they hunt for fresh flesh of humans and vampyres alike. They became the Noir._

_Once the humans accepted vampyres, the People of the Sun returned to normal people and found a new god to worship, and still fought vampires on different fields than that of battle._

The group stared at her and nodded, looking impressed. Siegfried got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria.

“So, were probably up against… basically zombies that don’t like light?” Eos asked finally. Kaine nodded and shrugged.

“What do they want?” Circe perused her lips.

“Based on the fact that they’re pretty much crazy as all hell, probably the destruction of the entire world,” Tilla looked at her as she said it in a mocking tone.

Kaine rolled her eyes at the two and looked to Eden. The fledging raised an eyebrow at her and mentally told her that she _hadn’t the foggiest_.


	15. Table for Four

She knew something terrible was going to happen when she woke up in her bed covered in sweat and feeling like her head was going to explode. A noiseless scream escaped her lips, thankfully not waking up Kimi in the other bed, as she arched up and disturbed the cats sleeping around her.

Kaine got up, catching herself as she tripped over the infernal felines that followed around her roommate, and ran into the bathroom so she could puke into the toilet. After she had emptied her stomach, she got a shower to wash off the sweat and wariness. But she was _thirsty_. She drained two bags before lying on her bed and wiping her mouth. The night before she had made Eos pass out from the blood loss.

 _Stable DNA_. Xia’s voice reverberated in her head as she rubbed at her mark. She glanced at the alarm clock on Kimi’s nightstand. It wasn’t even noon. With a heavy sigh, she got back up and put on clothes. Her sword was a comforting weight on her hip as she headed out onto the grounds.

A few laps around the walls, through the gardens, and close to the buildings, and it still wasn’t time. Later she had a double date with Circe, which she was reluctant about, but it’d be slightly less awkward for everyone if they just turned it into a double. She beat up a practice dummy for a while before she headed to the boys dorm to see if her boyfriend was awake.

If Eos wasn’t awake before Kaine knocked on the door, Siegfried’s scream certainly did the trick. The boy opened the door, his finger in his ear and a pained expression on his face. “You alright Kaine?”

“I’m fine. Just getting you up for our double date in a few hours.” Kaine rolled her eyes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

He looked her over. “How long have you been up?”

She shrugged, and turned. “I’m going to go change. Be ready in an hour.”

Circe was a little harder to wake up. Kaine settled for, after 10 minutes of shaking the girl and threatening her life, Circe giving her a thumbs up and saying a full sentence before changing and throwing on a face. When she checked on the priestess half an hour later, she sent a text to Eos. **Maybe 2**

Eos was sitting in the girls’ common room when the two girls came down the stairs. Circe was yawning and Kaine was glaring at the floor. Eos understood as he stood up and reached for the warrioress. “Is that a bandage?”

“I can’t cover it with makeup.” Kaine replied flatly, turning her glare to her friend that was on the verge of giggles.

The three met with Circe’s boyfriend at the gate. It was strange, seeing to the two boys interact, almost instantly friends. Circe kissed the human boy, and he and Kaine exchanged mutual insults before hugging.

They walk and chat towards the main part of town. Circe and Eos were both covered head to toe in black with their sunglasses covering their eyes. When he asked about Kaine’s lack of full coverage and the band-aid on her forehead, she just smacked him.

Soon they were at their destination, a small diner near a movie theater. Eos held the door open for them all, and they got a booth away from the windows.

The waitress came over and took their drink order. When it came to Kaine, the girl just stared at the human’s neck. Her throat burned and she unconsciously licked her lips. Circe kicked her under the table. Kaine blinked a few times and just buried her face in her hands. The priestess ordered for her as Eos wrapped and arm around her.

“You alright Kaine?” Circe leaned across the table to touch her hand gently.

Kaine looked up at her and sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re thirsty.” Eos made it sound like it was life changing revelation.

“That’s why Circe ordered me a coke.” She leveled her boyfriend with her sarcasm and a glare. “We’ll talk about it later. I’ll be fine.”

As they were being served their food, Kaine spotted someone she recognized. The girl saw her too. Just as soon as the waitress left, Emma was walking over to the table.

“Hey Kaine!”

Kaine smiled at her and gave her a small wave.

“Out with some friends?”

The mirror nodded and, glanced at Circe, who looked way too entertained for her own good. “Yes, guys, this is Emma. We met at the mall the other weekend.”

Circe’s face was slightly less entertained, as she smiled kindly at the human. “It’s nice to meet you. Thanks for helping Kaine while she was lost.”

Emma’s face lit up as she looked at Kaine. The mirror was reading her mind and she tried to keep her own feelings off her face as she nodded. “I should get back to my friends, but if you ever want to hang out,” The human pulled a pen and a pad of paper from her purse. She wrote something down before handing it to Kaine. “See you later Kaine.”

“What was that?” Eos asked once Emma had sat back down.

“Kaine got herself a stalker while we were at the mall.” Circe replied with a devious smile as she picked up her sandwich.

“What did she give you?”

“Her address and phone number.” Kaine didn’t even look at it. The details were in her head from Emma’s. “She would really like to get into my pants, and she is very anti-vampyre.”

She balled up the piece of paper in her hand as another wave of thirst washed over her. Her eyes moved to Emma for a split second. Immediately she hated herself for the thought, the thought of using that naïve, albeit creepy, girl for food.

The date went on. The four went to the movies, watching some super hero movie that had all of them making stupid jokes. They were almost kicked out. When they were done, it was starting to get dark, meaning the two normal fledglings could ditch their sunglasses and hoods. It also meant that they needed to ditch Circe’s boyfriend. They dropped him off at a relative’s that lived in Baltimore. Kaine squirmed next to Eos as Circe gave her boyfriend a very heartfelt goodbye.

“What’s with that face?” Circe asked as they walked.

“I could feel you, Circe.” Kaine huffed, crossing her arms.

“You mean like…”

“Yeah, like that. We’re bonded remember? It’s like a one way imprint.”

“I’m sorry.”

The warrioress just shrugged mumbling about it being okay and asking for warning in the future.

They kept walking, Circe and Eos talking about the movie. Kaine was a few steps behind them, when she looked at a street sign. They were close to the House of Night, and apparently so was Emma. The two called back to her and she fast walked to catch up to them.

The next morning she woke up with the knowledge that if she didn’t get human blood, she was going die. She got dressed and headed out into the day light while no one else was up. Her vision blurred as she typed a number into her phone from memory.

Emma answered immediately, her voice soundly entirely too cheery for Kaine’s liking, but she just cracked a joke before asking if she could come over. Apparently, Emma was home alone, and Kaine hated herself with every step she took towards the human’s address.


	16. Death, then Exile

The human’s face wasn’t what Kaine expected, when the door opened. Emma’s eyes were on her forehead and the fledgling remembered that she had forgotten to cover it. The human’s thoughts were erratic until she settled into acceptance.

“K-Kaine… you were a Vampyre the entire time?”

Nodding, Kaine let her eyes wonder to the girl’s neck. “Yeah. You didn’t seem very friendly towards them, so…”

“Are you okay? You don’t look okay.”

Kaine shook her head this time and Emma moved aside so the vampyre could step inside. She stood there, holding her side as Emma closed and locked the door.

“Why did you come over?”

She just gave her a shaky smile, knowing that she was going to lose her self-control very soon. Emma just stared back at her, her mind racing again. Any other time, Kaine would be amused at the rapid-fire thoughts.

“You want my blood.” It wasn’t a question, and Kaine was glad because she didn’t want to answer it. “Alright.”

Kaine knew it was too good to just ask for it, take it, and leave. If Kaine wanted to drink the girl’s blood, she’d have to earn it. She took a step forward, pressing her lips to Emma’s.

Emma smiled shyly and took her hand, pulling her to her bedroom.

The human fell asleep soon after they had finished and Kaine had taken her fill of her blood. Kaine wiped off her mouth, feeling satisfied but like total shit. It wasn’t fair to Emma and it definitely wasn’t fair to Eos. Eos who she cared for so deeply, but who her blood lust kept pushing farther and farther away from her. As she redressed, she peered into Emma’s dreams.

She stood up and left a note on her hand before leaving. The walk home was slow, and Kaine knew that someone was going to yell at her when she got back, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

Anmarie was standing at the gate when she walked up and the Priestess looked pissed. Kaine walked over to her and just sighed.

“You imprinted with a human.”

Looking up at her, Kaine remembered that Nyx had told her that a single drop would… “Shit.”

“You are a fledgling and while I under-…”

“I would’ve died if I didn’t.” Kaine cut her off, looking apologetic. “I can’t live off bagged blood, or fledgling blood. It’s human or vampyre, and a drop is enough for me to form an imprint.”

The priestess looked incredibly sad. “You should still break it.”

A tear fell down the fledgling’s cheek. “She’ll die.”

Anmarie wrapped her arms around her and shushed her. “It is hard, being different, child. We’ll get through this. Perhaps if you let it fade, it will allow her to live.”

Kaine just sobbed into her shoulder, holding onto the Vampyre tightly. When she stopped crying, Anmarie sent her to bed with a sad smile, telling her they would talk later.

Xia pinned her to the door of the girls’ dorm, and the goddess about as happy as the priestess had. “You don’t have time to be bound to the whims of a human girl.”

“You’re the one that made me need her blood!” Kaine glared back at her.

“You could’ve asked your priestess, or perhaps one of your other teachers. You must break this imprint. Maintaining it will be disastrous.”

“She doesn’t deserve to die for my mistake!”

“She made her choice.” Xia hissed. “But if you refuse to break it, _I will_.”

Kaine was just about to ask her what the fuck she was talking about when she felt familiar fangs pierce her neck. She gasped and brought her hands up to pull at the goddess’s hair. Something was cracking, and Kaine guessed it was her weak connection to the human girl. Xia pulled away just as the fledgling was starting to moan. She brought her own wrist to her mouth, her blood spilling from the wounds.

The fledgling watched her as she held her still bleeding neck. Xia smirked as she pressed the bleeding wrist to the mortal’s mouth. “Drink Kaine.”

She tried to resist, but the blood found its way into her mouth and down her throat. That weak connection shattered and she heard Emma’s dying scream as she let herself drink from the goddess without reserve.

Xia pulled her wrist away and smirked. “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to form extra imprints once you’ve changed.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

The door opened and she stumbled backwards into Kimi. She turned to look at her roommate, who looked mortified. When she looked back out the door, Xia was gone and she was glad of it.

“Kaine, what happened?” Kimi asked, maneuvering her roommate so she could look at all of her.

“I’m fine.” Kaine knew the other fledgling wouldn’t believe her. “I’m going to get a shower.”

She passed Tilla and Eden on the stairs, but brushed them both off easily. When she got to the bathroom, she locked both doors leading into it and sat on the floor of the shower, tears being lost in the flow of the water.

When she got downstairs an hour later, she found all of her friends sitting on one of the couches, their eyes trained on the only TV that was on. She walked behind them and gripped the back of the sofa as she watched the breaking new story.

“-the House of Night has announced full cooperation with police on the matter, as there is evidence that a vampyre might have been involved. The police are not releasing the name at the request of the family.”

Cleo turned off the television as everyone turned to look at Kaine. The mirror was shaking as she stared at the black screen. Circe and Tilla both stood up, walking around the sofa, wrapping their arms around her and burying their faces in her hair. Kimi got onto her knees in front of her and pulled her into a hug too.

When they all pulled back, no one asked any questions, but Kaine could hear all of them, feeling sorry for her, except Eden. The girl was just annoyed as she tried to control her face so she didn’t look angry.

Kaine shrugged them off and headed to Anmarie’s office. For once she knocked, and she was told to wait. She stood outside for a while before two police officers came out, both nodding at her before Andus followed them to show them off the grounds.

Anmarie looked drained as she looked up at the fledgling. “Kaine, I thought we were going to talk before you decided.”

“I wasn’t given a choice.” Kaine plopped down across from her and tugged at her hair which she hadn’t bothered brushing. “Xia broke the imprint for me.”

Anmarie sighed and moved to the chair next to Kaine. “How?”

Laughing hysterically as a few tears spilled down her face, Kaine shook her head. “I’m imprinted to a god now.”

“Oh… Kaine, you annoying girl.” Anmarie soothed her hair. “I was thinking that a change of scenery would be good for you.”

“You trying to get rid of me, Priestess?”

“I think being away from all this will do you good.”

“I can’t just run away.”

“This isn’t a discussion, Kaine.” Anmarie was firm. Kaine just stood up and pushed away the woman’s hand. “You’ll be leaving for the Tulsa House of Night in two days. I’ve made the arrangements.”

“You just want me to leave my friends, here alone?”

“I know hard this will be for you, but it will only be temporary. You may take one of your friends, and you can decide which.”

Kaine sighed and sat back down. “Why?”

“Nyx and I have discussed it. Perhaps a new location will help you, in some way. What ways, Nyx seems to know, but she didn’t share them with me.”

“Nyx?”

“Yes. She seemed wary when she suggested Tulsa. Neferet is a powerful priestess, but she and I have _never_ gotten along and I am not sure of how her House operates.”

When Kaine got back to the dorms, Eden was sitting in the common room alone. Apparently, everyone else went back to bed. The girl looked up at her as she walked over.

“So, how’d it go with Anmarie? Are you grounded for the rest of eternity?”

Kaine snorted and sat next to her. “Actually I’m being banished, to Oklahoma.”

Eden raised her eyebrows, looking entirely shocked. “No way, I mean sure _you killed someone_ , but that doesn’t mean you should have to leave.”

“I want you to come with me.”

“Excuse me? Why not your priestess, or your best friend? Why me?”

“Just a feeling. Have a little faith here.”

Eden looked at her for a while before crossing her arms. “How long will we be gone?” Kaine just shrugged and Eden rolled her eyes. “Fine. When are we leaving?”

Anmarie came into the cafeteria the morning the two fledglings were set to leave. Kaine and Eden were saying their goodbyes, and no one was happy, but the Priestess wasn’t alone.

Eos immediately stood up, putting his fist over his heart and bowing his head. Siegfried, Circe and Cleo followed in his lead, before Kaine was the only one sitting there, looking unimpressed by the older woman.

“Fledglings, I’d like you to meet Shenkinah, the _High Priestess of all Vampyres_.” Anmarie said with a smile, though her eyes were glaring at the warrioress. Kaine nodded and quickly did the fist and bow.

“These are your gifted fledglings, Anmarie?” the High Priestess gave them all a small smile as she looked over the group.

“Yes, there are others, but this is our complete circle.” Anmarie then went around, introducing the entire table of fledglings.

“Merry meet fledglings.” Her eyes fell on Kaine who had gone back to her meal. “And Miss Macabre, you bare a special Mark.”

She glanced up at her and shrugged, swallowing her mouthful. “You could say that, Priestess.”

“Anmarie has told me of your many talents, I’m very glad to be able to meet you.”

Kaine glanced at her own High Priestess and a smile spread across her face. “Did she also mention how much of a problem I am?”

The woman’s very calm disposition threatened to waver as she glanced at the other priestess. “She is just as coarse as you told me Anmarie.”

“She’s a challenge.” Anmarie smiled back at her. She glanced at Kaine and Eden. “Shenkinah will be accompanying you two on your plane to Tulsa later today.”

Eden and Kaine both just blinked at the two Priestesses before glancing at each other. Something major was happening in Tulsa.

Anmarie then guided Shenkinah to the upstairs portion of the cafeteria, where the professors ate. Circe and Cleo were both staring at Kaine.

“You’re that much of an issue that _the_ High Priestess has to escort you?” Cleo asked, Circe nodded as she hit her soul twin.

“No.” Kaine said, watching the two priestesses greet the Dark Daughter President. “It’s not me she’s worried about. I couldn’t quite get her thoughts, but she’s concerned about Tulsa.”

“Isn’t Tulsa the House with the fledgling with the filled in Mark?” Siegfried asked, chewing and looking unconcerned. Everyone glanced at him and then Kaine.


	17. Where Waving Wheat

Shenkinah made a mistake when she decided to sit near the two fledglings. The two were belting songs from the musical Oklahoma the entire ride. They didn’t stop even after a stewardess had purposefully spilled an entire soda on Kaine’s lap.

When they walked up to the gate, Neferet was smiling at them. Kaine instantly didn’t like the priestess. Shenkinah was waiting to show up to the House of Night until later that night when there was a council meeting. Eden and Kaine wondered if their HON even held meetings.

Both fledglings reluctantly took her hand in greeting, mumbling. Eden was reflecting Kaine’s attitude, since she figured the mind reader knew something she didn’t. 

“There are a lot of warriors standing around out there.” Kaine said, glancing around at the large burly Vampyres surrounding her.

“A few of our Vampyres were murdered, by human radicals.” The priestess replied with a sour smile.

Both fledglings nodded as she motioned for them to follow her. On their way to the dorms, Kaine heard the sounds of hissing, and barking. Eden looked entirely surprised as she jumped at the bark. Neferet scowled and left them, heading for a building that was not a dorm.

The two followed behind her, looking around to find that they had walked into the cafeteria. They grinned at each other and decided that they might as well just get on with eating and inserting themselves.

Once they had filled their plates, they scanned the cafeteria. They spotted a giant dog then, how they missed it earlier was a mystery. Shrugging, they sat next to a girl covered in sapphire. Everyone stopped their conversation and looked over at them with matching expressions of confusion.

Eden glared at the mirror. “Great, you managed to find the only fledgling with a stranger Mark than yours.”

Kaine shoved her head lightly before smiling at the group. “I’m Kaine Macabre, and this is my chambermaid, Eden Anastasia. We just flew in from Baltimore.” Eden glared at her harder as she ate.

“Hello, I’m Zoey Redbrd, our Leader of the Dark Daughters.” The dark haired girl smiled at her, though the confusion hadn’t disappeared.

“I know who you are.” Kaine tilted her head before going back to her dinner without any indication that she was planning on doing anymore talking.

Eden rolled her eyes and smiled kindly at the girl who would be priestess. She could sense the connections between her and the others at the table, friends. “Don’t mind Kaine, sometimes she doesn’t even know that she’s doing it.”

“Doing what?” The small boy asked with a curious smile.

“Mind reading.”

Zoey’s eyes filled with fear as they looked at the fledgling sitting next to her.

Kaine snorted and set down her fork. “You’re harder to read than your average fledgling, even harder to read than your nutjob of a priestess. It’s a lot of emotion and a couple of words, primarily _red_ and _war_. Your archives though…” She then smirked up at her. “Three huh? At the same time? Impressive.”

Eden smacked the back of her head. “Excuse you, Miss Perfect, you _killed_ someone. Get off your high horse.” She looked triumphant when the mirror went back to eating, rubbing the back of her head.

The others at the table introduced themselves before going back to talking about an attractive male. Eden asked Kaine how long she’d been waiting to introduce her as he chambermaid, but the warrioress just grinned.

When two boys sat down, they both glanced at Kaine and Eden. Before Zoey could say anything, Jack brought up archery to the boy who obviously owned the dog. Eden watched Kaine’s head snap up, sending a subtle glare to the male. Eden wondered if it was a warrior thing or a mind reading thing.

Then Zoey left and Kaine looked up at Stark, as Damien was talking about cats. “How are your sword skills?”

“Excuse me?” Stark stared at her, taking in her appearance.

“Oh, sorry, Kaine Macabre.”

Recognition flashed across his face and he shrugged. “I haven’t much practice with a sword.”

She appraised him, and everyone was staring at her again. “You should, so you can still fight if you to break your bow or run out of arrows. I’ll show you a few things sometimes.”

He sighed and picked at his food. “Yeah, sounds good.”

Eden looked at her with an unimpressed expression.

“I’m not flirting. I’m trying to help out a fellow warrior, thank you.” Kaine looked back at her with a level gaze. “But we should go, I’m jet lagged.”

“We barely changed timezones.” She followed Kaine up anyway. She heard Damien start back in about cats as they headed out of the building. Kaine tried to insist they didn’t need a babysitter at the door, but Eden quickly put a hand on her mouth and nodded at the warriors.

When they arrived at their room, neither of them bothered to unpack, except Kaine rummaged for her sword to cuddle as she sprawled on the bed. Eden sat down. “I want to go home. I thought I didn’t like the _Baltimore_ HON.”

Kaine snorted and turned to face to her friend. “The danger here is much closer than the danger at ours.”

“Did Nyx want you here to help?”

“I don’t think so, but if I can I will.” The mirror touched her mark and sighed. “I honestly don’t think she wants us interfering.”

“They why are we here?”

“If she told us directly, then what fun would it be for her?” Kaine let a wicked grin spread across her face. Eden nodded in agreement.

Later that night, Eden found herself walking through the breezeway connecting the gyms and the horse stables. “You just had a strong urge to wack a training dummy with a stick?”

“Can’t you trust my instincts?” Kaine turned to glare at her.

“Oh, yes. Your instincts are wonderful. Fuck a girl and then kill her, then don’t tell your boyfriend about it until after it’s on the news.”

“Why do I eve-…” Kaine stopped, her head whipping around to look at the door to one of the gyms.

“Kaine?”

“I smell blood. Fledgling blood.” She took a few steps closer and closed her eyes tightly. “Stark is rejecting the change. We should go.”

Eden was definitely not going to fight her on that.

The next day, Kaine stood outside of the school building, her eyes focused on nothing in particular as the sun shone down on the campus. Zoey came out and glanced at her.

“Can we talk about something?” The warrior asked, causing the priestess to pause and glance at her.

“What about?”

“The undead. You’ve been thinking about it, and I want to know more about these red vampyres.”

“Not here. Meet me in my room later.”

“What are you doing that you’re so busy? It’s like 10 am. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“I’m going to help a charity in town.” Zoey started walking then. “I want to connect us to the humans more.”

Kaine nodded, looking slightly impressed. “I’ll come with you.”

The girl looked like she was about to argue when Aphrodite called her name. “Alright…” Her eyes went to her hip. “You’re going to bring a sword to a cat shelter?”

“I’ll leave it in the car.” Smirking, Kaine pulled a large bandage out of her pocket, and affixed it to her forehead.

Kaine sat around, being useless with Zoey in the front, occasionally lifting a hand to help her. Zoey glanced at her. “You didn’t shake the nun’s hand.”

“My Goddess isn’t on as good of terms with Christianity as yours is.” Kaine said with a slight smirk. That only made Zoey more confused. “Nyx isn’t my primary god. My primary god, in some mythology, is written to be the child of Satan. Literal Satan.”

Zoey nodded and glanced at where the nuns were doing paperwork in the office. “So um… maybe you could go to the back with Aphrodite for a while…”

“Oh? So you can chat privately with your undead friend?” Kaine raised her eyebrows as she tickled her chin with one of the cat toys. “Besides, I hate cats.”

The priestess in training just rolled her eyes and went back to not speaking to the warrior in training. Kaine sat back against the nearest wall and watched the door.


	18. The Dead

When Stevie Ray came in, she kept glancing at Kaine, who had gotten up and tried going into the cat room only to get covered in cat hair and scratched on her face. Kaine finally opened her eyes and looked at the red vampyre.

“The bandage is a long story, just like I’m sure your tattoos are a long story.” Kaine shrugged, trying to keep her smug grin off her face.

“Kaine’s a mind reader.” Zoey informed her former roommate. “Apparently she has a tough time reading my current thoughts but has easy access to my past thoughts.”

“Still impressed there Z-bird. Though, I think giving you all five elements was a little over kill on Nyx’s part.”

Stevie Ray glanced at Zoey. “Can we trust her?”

“Don't trust me if you don’t want to, trust me if you do. It’s not going to hurt my feelings either way.”

Without missing a beat, she started babbling about the things she needed to talk to Zoey about, only being interrupted by yelling nuns, because the warrior wasn’t doing anything, and Kaine asking Stevie Ray if her and her hoard were really living in caves.

“If you guys need a backup Earth, I have an earth affinity.” Kaine said as she was working, fearing the wrath of the nuns.

Both of the other girls stared at her. Zoey spoke first. “I think it’s a good time to introduce the Red Vampyres.”

“I agree, but if Stevie Ray and her mob of zombies get cold feet you don’t have to let Neferet know that blondie doesn’t have that gift anymore.” Kaine nodded to where Aphrodite and Darius were still with the cats.

“But what does earth have to do with mind reading?” The red vampyre stared at her.

“That is a very good question. Next time I talk to a goddess, I will ask her.”

“But how am I going to explain that you’re doing the circle and not Aphrodite?”

“Showing good will and giving a welcome to a transfer fledgling? I think people might buy that.”

“I’ll think about it.” Zoey glanced at Stevie Ray again who shrugged.

Kaine stood up. “I’m going to go take a nap in the car. Wake me up when we’re ready to go.”

Aphrodite and Zoey were complaining about being hungry on the drive back to the House of Night. Darius sighed and asked them what they wanted.

“Hmm. I’m feeling a red head, tall but full figured, with D-cups.”

Zoey glanced at her and looked absolutely mortified. Aphrodite made some homophobic comment from the front seat.

Kaine raised her eyebrows. “I’d also accept a blond with a strong jaw line, a chiseled chest, and an eight inch.”

“Oh good. She’s not very picky.” The blonde said with excessive sarcasm.

“Don’t knock it until you try it princess.” Kaine sat back and let them drive to a local fast food place. When she got inside, she promptly ordered the largest thing on the menu . Zoey and Aphrodite looked disgusted as she ate, and ate quickly.

Half way through Kaine’s second meal, a boy walked over to the table and said a few not very nice words to Zoey. Kaine stared at him and put down her food as she understood. An ex-imprintee that Kaine was so impressed with Zoey for. Once Aphrodite forced the priestess to her feet, Kaine left the rest of her meal uneaten and opened the door for them. Her and Aphrodite assured Darius that he didn’t have to fight anything.

“Hey Zoey.” Kaine said once they were in the car. The girl looked at her, her eyes suddenly sunk into her head. “If it makes you feel better, the first person I imprinted with died when my High Priestess forced me to break the imprint.”

Zoey just looked away and out the window. Kaine sighed and looked out her own as she absently reattached her sword to her belt.

When they got back to the school, Kaine went to her classes, which all but one of the ones she had left were with Eden. The girl coughed a few times during the day and each time a shiver ran down Kaine’s spine.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” After they had to stop on their way to their last class so Eden could have a massive coughing fit.

Kaine looked away quickly. She got a pretty good idea of what Zoey, Aphrodite, and Stevie Ray knew about the undead while at the cat shelter, and she had also had a pretty good idea why Nyx wanted her and Eden in Tulsa. “Nothing. It’s just I’m worried about you.”

“What, you think I’m going to die from a couple of coughs?” Eden looked smug and sarcastic, but Kaine kept walking.

When they got back to their room, Eden was laying across her bed and playing on her DS. Kaine was sitting at her desk flipping through Xia’s book. She was looking for anything that could help her own problems in Balitmore, or any of Zoey’s numerous problems. She wasn’t going to directly interfere, but giving the slutty and stupid priestess information couldn’t hurt if the entire vampyre race was under threat of Neferet.

Eden was talking about how she hated Kaine for talking her into being her banishment partner, how she could be in her own bed and have her familiar. Kaine was about to tell her that it was her own stupid fault when the game fell out of the dark haired girl’s hands.

The scent of blood got stronger with every deep rooted cough that wracked Eden’s body. Kaine was moving in slow motion as tears fell down her face and she moved to pull her friend’s head into her lap.

“K-Kaine… I-I…”

“Hey… It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.” Kaine smiled down at her as her tears fell down onto Eden’s face.

“I’m dying…. H-How…” She rolled over onto her side to cough again. “How am I going to be o-okay?”

“Because this HON is seriously fucked up…” Kaine moved a curl off of Eden’s mark. “But, there’s something you should know. Tilla should’ve told you, a while ago.”

Eden looked up at her with confusion as she gave a few small dry coughs.

“The book as a writing about souls, and soul connections. You and Tilla, you’re soulmates.”

Smiling, her mouth covered in her own blood, she seemed to already know as she reached to cup Kaine’s cheek at an odd angle. “Tell Tilla that I’m sorry, that I’m sorry I died.”

Eden’s breathing slowed until it stopped. Kaine closed the big brown eyes that were peering up at her as she bent over the girl, letting the tears fall without stopping.

It wasn’t long before Neferet and a few other professors entered the room with stretchers, to take Eden away. Kaine grabbed the Priestess’s wrist as she moved to follow the body, while all the other Vampyres had already made their way out. “I don’t know how you do it, but I want her back in mint condition.”

Neferet shook off her grip and looked at her with utter confusion. She didn’t say anything before leaving.

Kaine cleaned herself up, but she still smelled the blood as if she hadn’t even bothered. She gripped the book and headed down into the common room. The common room was where she made herself at home until the ritual.

Zoey and her friends were in and out of the dorms, their thoughts of impending doom always perking her interest. The interest wasn’t enough to get her off the couch where she was snuggled up with a cup of hot tea. She followed their thoughts and sighed, knowing that danger was ever closer.

“Is there a reason you’re not going to classes?” Damien, Zoey’s GBF, asked one time when he spotted her. She looked up from the book and sighed.

“Nyx didn’t want me here for classes. She didn’t want me here to help you and Zoey to fight your High Priestess. I’m here because Nyx knew Eden was going to die and that she was still needed.”

He nodded and glanced at the door. “Because of the red fledglings…”

“Hey, Zoey’s looking for you. You might want to be quick about it, sounds urgent.” The boy turned to walk up the stairs, but Kaine called for him again and held out a few pages of notebook paper. “I don’t know if these’ll help, but I think you guys might as well as look at them.”

“Thanks?”

She smiled at him and looked back down at the book. A few of things in it were relevant to the things going through her fellow fledglings minds. It didn’t hurt to give them some primary sources on their problem. Xia certainly collected a lot of strange works in the book and skimming it was very educational, though sometimes disturbing and terrifying.

Once Damien had skipped away, he practically pranced, Kaine rolled her eyes and looked back at the illustration he had distracted her from. The picture had a young man with a backwards crescent filled in and expanded on his forehead. Another man was in his arms, the neck covered in blood as he laid limp and naked. The mirror on the wall behind them was cracked, red filling the gaps between the shards of glass.

“A mirror completes the change. Taking the life of another purposefully through draining their blood causes the completion of the transformation into a Vampyre.” Kaine read it a few times before shutting the book, loud enough the rest of the girls to give her dirty looks as she got up and headed outside.

She pulled out her phone, getting Eos’s voicemail. It was understandable that he didn’t want to talk to her. Despite that she left him a message about how much she missed him, and reminded him how sorry she was.

When she called Circe, her priestess answered on the second ring. “Hey what’s up? You guys alright?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” Kaine said in the most even tone she could muster.

Circe snorted on the other side. “Because it’s you. Did you find yourself trouble down there too?”

“Oh yeah. But whatever, it’s not really my issue so I’m staying clear of that disaster.”

“If nothing’s wrong, then why’d you call?”

“Something in the book, just had to hear one of your voices, and I thought my priestess was a pretty good place to start.”

“I better always be the first place you start!” Kaine knew her best friend was grinning on the other side of the phone. “What was it?”

“How I complete the change.”

“You mean into a full-fledged Vampyre?”

“Yep.”

“How then?”

“I have to kill someone, on purpose. For their blood.”

“Oh, well, sounds like a good reason to never change.” Circe said something to someone else. “Tilla and Kimi say hi. I have to go though. Text me!”

Kaine groaned and sat against the nearest tree, resting her head back and eventually falling asleep.

When she got back to the girl’s dorm there was a strange prescense in the building. The scent of a human other than Aphrodite. She followed the scent and knocked on the dorm room the scent had come from.

Zoey opened the door and stared at her. An older woman was behind her in the room. “Yeah?”

“I smelled a human, other than your bitchy little blonde friend, and I just wanted to investigate.” Kaine shrugged. “I assume this is a grandmother?”

The priestess nodded and opened the door a little farther to introduce Kaine to Sylvia Redbird. The warrior waved at her kindly before heading back to her room.

The next day, she was distracted from a version of one of the stories in the fledgling handbook by Neferet and Shenkinah were rushing through the doors and up the stairs. What was on their minds made her shed a single tear on behalf of Zoey and her grandmother.

Finally it was the day of the ritual, and Kaine was standing by the tree listening to Zoey say something to the rest of the circle. The crowd of students and vampyres had barely started to gather, so she still had time to talk to them. Kaine just kept rolling her eyes, especially when Zoey told her she was officially declining her offer to stand in for Earth.

She just threw up her hands and moved to stand near the horse master, since that was the only class she had been to in Tulsa since Eden’s death and so the only other person she even knew the name of. When the High Priestess of all Vampyres showed up, she walked over and very quietly gave Kaine a few comforting words. Kaine nodded and looked away, without saying anything in return.

The circle was going well, even with the introduction of Stevie Ray as a zombie Vampyre. The crowd was receiving the news rather well, considering, at least until Neferet pointed an accusing finger at Zoey. All hell was breaking loose.

Stark shot the red priestess, and the earth shook and the tree split open. Neferet killed Shenkinah. There were birdmen flying all around and there was a gorgeous winged man emerging.

Kaine swore to herself as she pulled her sword from its place at her side. Her eye catch the gem on the hilt, it was glowing brightly, charged from the calling of earth during the circle. A smile spread across her face as she swung the blade at one of the raven mockers.

A voice was calling her name as students were screaming. She looked up to see Zoey’s fire and water waving at her to get inside the circle. Zoey glanced at her and nodded. _Someone has to stay_. Kaine just grinned more as she punched one of the warriors that tried to pry the sword from her hand as Neferet claimed the winged man to be Erebus, the God who their order of warriors was named for.

Once Zoey and the circle were off the grounds, Kaine wiped off her blade with her shirt and silently walked back to the dorms, not even glancing back.


	19. Rebirth

Zoey was gone for a while. Kaine sat around the common room during most of that time. She attempted to attend a few classes, only to decide that was way too much work for her. The only class she was attending was fencing, so she could keep up her skills.

When she walked into theater, she almost turned and walked out. The winged man was standing right near the seat she claimed when she transferred in. He looked over at her, shock filling his face. His eyes moved to the necklace hanging around her neck.

“You are not like the others.” His voice was deep and smooth. It made her feel slightly dizzy. “A child of Xia.”

She shrugged and looked away. It was a good thing that most of the class hadn’t filed in yet. “Yeah. And you’re not what Neferet says you are, Kalona.”

He curious gaze changed to a glare. “You should go.”

“It would be my pleasure.” Kaine turned and went back to her pillow nest in the common room. The book was open to a flow chart. She blew a breath out of her nose as she picked up the sticky note that was on the page.

“Check this out. Oh, and you should be in the crematory tomorrow night. ~X” She read out loud. “Great.”

She looked at the open spread, recognizing a few of the names on the pages. Nyx, Xia, Ra, and a few other gods that were now just mythologies. There were lines connecting certain gods, which Kaine assumed were family relations, but the way they were arranged didn’t make much sense. The dorm door slammed opened, and she turned. She expected to see Stark, stalking through the dorms to pick the room of his bed partner for the night. It wasn’t Stark.

“I was going to wait, but I stepped out for a burger.” Seeing Xia with a McDonald’s cup should’ve been a more shocking sight, but Kaine wasn’t really surprised.

“What does this mean?” Kaine help up the book.

“Oh, that’s a pretty neat page. It shouldn’t exist, so don’t tell Nyx-babe about it, she’s such a goody-goody.” Xia walked over and looked over the page.

“But what is it?” Kaine asked through her teeth as she glared at the goddess.

“The list of power of the gods. Gods in red have power right now and gods in black can’t do shit in your world. If a god is higher than another, then they have more power…”

Kaine looked at the page and paused. “Kalona’s not a god, is he?”

“It includes other celestials. There are three of the Buddhas on the list too.” Xia shrugged.

“He has the same amount of power as Nyx…”

“Yes he does. We need two things to have power, mortal followers and the ability to have a physical form among you.” Xia sat next to her with a smile. “I’m pretty far up on the list actually, thanks to the other gods forcing me to be confined to this single form on the living plane.”

“Nyx usually exists as a smoky figure.” Kaine sighed and scooted away from her goddess slightly.

“Hmm.”

“Where’s the God?”

“Capital G? He’s at the top, but he’s currently in black because the rest of the gods voted his power away because his followers can’t get along. He hasn’t had power since the Spanish inquisition.”

Kaine blinked at her but shook her head as she shut the book. “If you’re more powerful than Kalona, can’t you just help Nyx here? Shouldn’t I be helping Zoey?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. Kalona and I belong to the same class of celestial and I can’t do anything unless he were to try to make a move against me first.”

“What do you mean?”

“If he tries to make a move on you, as my consort and follower, it would be him declaring war on me. Then I would make short work of him. Celestials like him are not immortal.” Then Xia stood up and sighed. “I need to go, I have a meeting in an alternate reality.”

Kaine rolled her eyes as the goddess left, unsure if she was being serious or not. She assumed that she was.

It was about five minutes to sunrise when Stark walked into the girls’ dorm. Most of the girls had made their way to their rooms even in they weren’t sleeping yet. His eyes went to Kaine and she just rolled her eyes.

“In your dreams zombie boy.”

She stayed up late, looking through the book as usual. When she turned one page, she found the remnants of a torn out page. Her fingers ran over the rough edge of the paper and she wondered who would be stupid enough to take out a page from the book.

Eventually she fell asleep on top of the book, only waking up to a male voice calling her name. She opened her eyes and saw Stark staring at her with concern. As she yawned, she rolled her now open eyes. “Don’t pretend to be concerned.”

“I’m trying to help.”

Scoffing, she cupped her mouth to check her breath. Definitely needed a shower. “If you wanted to help, you wouldn’t’ve shot the other undead one.”

“I wasn’t… You read minds.”

“And you’re creepy. Listen, Stark. I’m not going to do anything to stop you, but mark my words: you do anything too sinister to those girls, you’ll be back on that cold metal table in the morgue.” She then gathered her shit and headed up to her room.

The air in Tulsa was cold. Kaine was sure someone told her it was supposed to be hot in Tulsa, so she naturally took only spring and summer clothes. One of the boys that had taken a shine to her when she was still attending classes, whistled at her.

“You do a lot of sword fighting in sundresses?”

She glanced at him, picked up a rock from the path and threw it at his head, hard. A smirk spread across her face as she continued to the morgue.

When she opened the door, it was even colder in the dark room than outside in the snow. She ran her free hand over her bare arm before turning up the gas lights. Her eyes locked onto the figure shrouded by a stark white sheet.

Pulling back the sheet, Kaine smiled down at the pale face of her friend. Her mark was almost completely faded, and Kaine was sure Xia was full of it. Despite being sure of that, she set the clothes she had brought for Eden next to the mass of curls. She turned to look at the chemistry set that Neferet had set up on the other table.

There was a variety of ingredients, some cut up and some not. There were boiling pots and empty pots. She lifted a vial and sniffed the contents. It was a strong scent of mint, so strong she practically gagged. Her eyes then fell to a piece of paper that looked almost familiar.

She pulled out the book and opened to the missing page. The tears matched perfectly. When she looked at it, she saw it was a recipe for bringing fledglings back, with all the ingredients written twice. The second must’ve been a readable language, otherwise Neferet would’ve found it useless.

There was the slightest noise behind her as she was reading over the instructions. She turned and saw Eden sitting up. The other girl was staring at her blankly, her eyes a dark red, the color of blood that had been sitting too long and her mark a bright scarlet.

“A mirror is changed when the glass is shattered; the shards slice willingly; the veins of the crack flow with life.” The voice was a shadow of Eden’s, another power was using her as a vessel to tell Kaine this.

Kaine took a few steps towards her, a sick feeling settling in her stomach. She pulled her sword out of his sheath a few inches and cut the palm of her hand with a slight wince.

When the mirrored fledgling pulled her now healing hand away from the red fledgling, Eden regained focus and her eyes returned to her dark, soft brown. She wiped her lips and then glared at Kaine.

Her voice was whiney as she pulled the sheet to cover herself. “What the fuck Kaine? Blood? Why am I naked? It’s fucking freezing in here! Why are you smiling? It’s not funny you fucking dunderhead!”

Shrugging half heartedly, Kaine turned away. “Just hurry up and get dressed. A lot happened since you died.”

“Yeah, well that’s because you’re useless without me.” Eden said as she angrily put on her shirt. “I bet you haven’t been attending classes.”

“Not with a fallen angel teaching the acting class.”

When they got outside, Eden stared at one of the Ravenmockers with a sick fascination. Kaine grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the girls dorm.

Once they were back in the room, Eden instantly looked sick.

“What’s up?” Kaine asked as she sat at her desk to tape the page back into the book.

“It smells…”

“Like your blood still… You smell like death. Please get a shower.”

“I died. Of course I smell like death, you asshat.”

Kaine just threw a pencil at her, but smiled. Once the new red fledgling came back in, her hair soaking wet and dripping everywhere, and was dressed again, she heard what happened between her dying and her undying.

“So, when the fuck can we go home? I’m not really partial to getting raped by fallen angels that pretend to be gods.” Eden laid back on her bed.

“Xia’s technically a fallen angel.”

“Exactly. That’s your thing, it’s unfair of me to try to take your thing.”


	20. Cracks and Veins

By the time that Zoey and a few members of her circle returned, Kaine was feeling the effects of not having fresh blood in so long. On top of the hunger, the warrior was also feeling her Priestess and the boyfriend doing some naughty things. The undead fledgling looked at her sadly when she looked hungry, and cackled in amusement when she looked horny. Kaine didn’t appreciate either.

Eden was doing a crossword puzzle online while Kaine read a novel she found in the library when the Damien, Aphrodite, and the Twins walked into the dorms. The Twins and Damien were in a fight over the grammar regarding an insult against Aphrodite, but she just snorted and glanced at the two on the couch.

“Shouldn’t you be trying to figure out a way to defeat Neferet and do something about the bird man who has very little understanding of the word ‘no’?” Kaine said, not even looking up from her novel.

“Z was injured!” The blonde twin squealed.

“The only person who could heal her was bitchface Neferet!” The black twin said with a snotty look.

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to get back out if it was just her and maybe one other person?” Eden put down her laptop and blinked at the four of them.

“A large group-…” Damien started.

“Is better when facing an enemy. But you’re not facing an enemy. The goal here is to run away, and that’s easier in smaller numbers.”

“Then why are you two still here?” Aphrodite scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Our return tickets aren’t valid for three more days.”

“So when you think of an escape plan, let us know.” Kaine rolled her eyes at Eden as she stood up, heading to her own room. Eden quickly gathered her things to follow her upstairs.

By the time the others were ready to leave, two days from then, Kaine was really looking bad. Eden had even stopped mentioning it. Zoey made a point to mention it as the two were getting onto one of the horses.

“I’m fine. Where are we going anyway?” Kaine glared at the other special fledgling.

“A church…” Zoey kept speaking, but Kaine just groaned as she rested her head against Eden. It was going to be a long day until they got back to Baltimore.

Kaine slept outside while the rest of the vampyres were inside with the nuns. Everyone gave her a strange look as Eden threw pillows and blankets at her head from the steps of the convent, but she just grumbled and found a soft patch of dry ground. Eden also took the time to remind her the next night was a new moon. The Mirror had way more on her plate than she bargained for, and still yet nothing she wanted to eat.

At sunset the next night, Eden was pulling Kaine to her feet. They had to get to the airport, if it killed them. Kaine didn’t look good.

“You going to make it until we get back to the HON?” Eden asked as they were going through customs.

Kaine rubbed at the back of her neck. “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I’m going to make it through the flight.”

She managed to get through the flight, but as soon as they were out of the airport she was collapsing to the ground and letting out a pitiful whimper. Eden leaned down to help her out, while shouting at a few people staring at them. “Have you had airline food before? We’re lucky we’re not dead!”

Kaine groaned and pulled herself up. “Circe…”

“Circe?”

Without answering and still leaning on the undead girl, she pulled out her phone. She swore when she got Circe’s voicemail. Tilla on the other hand picked up and Kaine started demanding answers before her other half could even get a word out.

“Please tell me that Circe is in the dorm with you.” Kaine manage to say in a level tone despite the blood lust and sensations coming from her priestess.

“Actually she snuck out with the boyfriend, why…?”

“I think she just got kidnapped…” Kaine felt Eden tense up under her. “I’ll talk to you after Eden and I go get her.”

“You and who? Because I can’t fight anything except bad grammar and poor arguments.” Eden pouted at her as Kaine started to walk towards the curb to hail a cab. “Not to mention the fact that you can barely stand.”

“I’m just going to have to get something to eat aren’t I?” Kaine looked back at her. “Besides, you can literally control people’s minds, how is that not helpful?”

Eden scooted into the cab after the mirrored fledgling. “What exactly are you going to eat?”

Kaine told the cab driver an address and Eden looked at her strangely. “That’s not the HON’s address…” It was close to the House of Night, too nice of an area for a kidnap victim to be held.

“No, no Eden, it isn’t.”

When they arrived, Kaine paid the driver and Eden stared at the normal house. “Where are we?”

“Emma’s house.”

“The girl you killed?”

“Mirrors get some memories from the people they drink from… her dad was a prized sword fighter. I could use a few pointers.”

Eden didn’t say anything just sighed as Kaine walked up to the door, opening it without even a second thought.

When Kaine walked into the house, it was faintly lit by the light of a TV. There was a creak from a chair being got out of and she walked towards it. Emma’s father was much frailer than her childhood memories of sparing with even Vampyres made him seem, but it wasn’t his strength she needed.

His eyes went to the Mark on her forehead. “You, you’re the vampyre that killed my Emma, aren’t you?”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen like that. I was desperate and I was stupid.” Kaine looked at him, trying not to let any emotion pass her face.

“If you were here to apologize you would’ve knocked.” He glared at her. “Did Emma tell you her mother killed herself when a vampyre she was having an affair with broke their imprint?”

“No. But it does explain why she was so reluctant to trust me.”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m ravenous and I need to save someone I care about from a terrible foe.” She looked at him seriously.

He closed his eyes. “Do it. I don’t have anything left, because of your kind.”

Kaine didn’t need any more coaxing and rushed him. His blood flowed into her mouth and she drank and she drank. His pulse stopped, the feeling moving from a faint touch on her lips to a sharp pain on the center of her forehead. She heard the sound of breaking glass and the scent of her own blood hit her nose.

She managed to gently set the older man on the ground before she doubled over at the shear pain. Beyond the sharp pain at her Mark, it felt like someone was cutting at her forehead with a dull knife. Through her groans of pain, she managed to remember that she just did what it took to change a Mirror, to change herself from a fledgling into a Vampyre.

When the pain turned to an ebbing one, like that of a slowly healing wound, she looked up at the mirror above the fireplace. It was cracked, blood seemingly coming from the cracks. She looked down at her hands that had been clutching her forehead, finding them covered in blood. The bathroom mirror was the same as the one in the living room, but despite washing off the blood on her forehead, she didn’t bother cleaning the mirror to find out what her new Mark looked like.

Eden looked like she was just starting to be impatient when Kaine came out of the house. Her eyes fell on the other girl’s forehead as she opened her mouth to complain, but just ended up dropping her jaw.

“I know.” Kaine said it with a small voice as she took a deep breath through her nose to center herself. The change was intense, everything was intense and it was just too much to take in. When she spoke again her voice held authority. “Let’s go save Circe.”

Nodding, Eden started chasing after Kaine without even taking a second thought of following the now full Vampyre.


	21. The Noir

Eden trusted Kaine’s instincts, and trusted that she knew where she was going, but. “Kaine, it’s going to be sunrise soon. And my type of vampyre has a special aversion to sunlight that causes _death_.”

“We’re almost there.” Kaine assured her as they entered a part of town that had mostly abandoned buildings. Her eyes were on the building that lost its roof long ago. “And we’ll be right in and out.”

“Please tell me its people that did this, people that you can intimidate with your new found vampyre-adulthood.” Eden mumbled, receiving a grimace from Kaine.

“Sorry Eden… I think we’re about to meet the hoard of intelligent zombies that Xia wants me to fight.”

Making a few unpleasant squealing noises, Eden wished she could’ve stayed in Oklahoma where at least their creatures of darkness didn’t want to make her dinner, just their fuck buddies.

Kaine moved through the opening going into what was once a warehouse. The only noticeable thing was a single door on the far side of the space with a stair marker next to it. “I’m going to hazard a guess that those go down.”

Eden glared at her as she reluctantly followed behind her. Kaine opened the door. The air was stale and smelled of rot, the rush of it made the two of them cough. Even with the two of them having super vamp night vision, they could both only see the first three steps. The undead girl gulped and turned. “Nothing down there, let’s look elsewhere.”

“Just for that, you’re going first.” Kaine grabbed the collar of her shirt.

“Or I could stay up here and stand guard… besides, you have the sword.” Eden frowned at her.

“You have the power to control anyone.”

“If I can see them!”

“Rock, papers, scissors?”

Eden lost and later she’d be angry when she remembered her companion was a mind read. As she descended the stairs, the air got colder and thicker. The two started to hear noises, banging and laughing and screaming: just like they were walking straight into a horror movie. Despite the fact that Kaine couldn’t see Eden’s face, she knew the red fledgling was glaring at her, harshly.

“Someone’s there and they’re not one of us.” Came a rough voice from farther down the staircase.

Eden froze but she sensed that Kaine was just staring into the darkness towards where the voice had come from.

“Smells like vampyres. One of them is a big girl too… we’re eating good tonight.” Another voice added with a chuckle.

“Even better, they came to us.”

“Got a light boys? I’d like a good look at you before I take off your heads.” Kaine’s voice was brazen behind Eden. They both chuckled, but surprisingly one of them turned on a dim flashlight and the two girls could see the two men.

The skin was grey and stretched across their bodies. They had little muscle mass. Their eyes were solid black as were their mouths, filled with jagged and rotting teeth. Even steely Kaine was shocked by their appearance. Eden made a note to herself to puke once they saved Circe as she focused on both of their eyes.

“We weren’t here, you didn’t see us.” Eden said to them, power filling her voice. The two repeated the order and the light went out. Kaine grabbed Eden’s shoulder and pulled her along. With the very small amount of light coming from an occasional flickering light, Eden could see the warrior had her sword drawn.

They moved from a stairwell to a hallway, lined with doors. Eden could hear people through them and as they walked, she couldn’t help but feel like they were walking into a trap. Kaine in front of her was walking with a swagger Eden had never seen her with. In the last few months she had killed two people so, no matter what else she was feeling, she probably felt powerful.

And just as Eden thought that, Kaine was kneeling on the ground, trying to keep her pained whimpers to a minimum. Eden could see her eyes with the light that was actually working above them. She looked pitiful and powerless. It would’ve been so easy to take control and get them out of there, leaving Circe there.

“Kaine.” Eden started but stopped when the fire returned to her eyes and she started getting up from the ground.

“I’m fine. We’re almost there.” Kaine assured her once she was standing.

They eventually found themselves at the end of the hallway. Kaine nodded back at her and headed inside.

There was just enough light in the room to see Circe chained onto a table covered in blood, her boyfriend was hanging from the other wall covered in blood. Eden walked over to the human, listening carefully. “Still alive, barely.”

Kaine nodded and walked over to where Circe was groaning. The scent of her blood was thick. “Circe?”

The blonde looked over at her. There were dark circles under her eyes, even more so than usual. Her mark was faint. She had a split lip. “Kaine.” The sound was dull, like her vocal chords were shot from screaming.

“I’ll yell at you when you’re healed.” Kaine smiled at her as she started examining what was holding her to the table. That’s when she noticed that Circe’s left arm was wrapped tightly with blood darkened rags. “What the?”

Circe gasped when Kaine touched the obviously wounded arm. Kaine looked over her again and saw a bleeding wound on her side too. They needed to move a little more quickly. As Kaine slammed the pommel of her sword against the shackles, Eden shushed her. The shushing didn’t stop the door from slamming.

The scent of the creatures was thick in the now pitch black room. Eden could sense four of them. She couldn’t persuade anything in such darkness.

“The boss was hoping for more of yours to come fetch the pretty one, but two will do for now. Maybe they’ll send even more when you don’t come back.” One spoke. Kaine could feel that their eyes were fixed on her.

“The adult’s going to put up a fight, we might have to kill her.”

“Shame. It’s better when it’s fresh. The little one looks more tender though.”

“She smells like she’s already dead though.”

The first roared. “Just get make sure the little one doesn’t flee and capture the big one.”

Since no one was attacking her, Eden assumed that when she heard movement they had all charged at Kaine. She yelled her name as she heard the other girl grunt as her sword whooshed.

“I wish Cleo was here right now.” Kaine said just before Eden heard the sound of bone on bone. Eden couldn’t help but cringe. The sounds of fighting continued, and Eden blinked into the darkness before rummaging through her pockets. She found her phone and unlocked it. The backlight was just enough to see that despite being attacked by four men much bigger than her, she was doing well. The creatures hissed when she turned on her flashlight.

Eden could see the warrior grin. “I knew there was a reason I picked you.”

Rolling her eyes, Eden finished taking the human boy off the hook on the wall. They could unchain him if they got out alive. She edged her way around the fight, Kaine getting between her and Noir when one tried to get her. Finally, she made it to Circe. “Hello priestess.”

Circe looked up at her with bleak eyes, but didn’t say anything. Eden just laid her phone down on the table as she kept working on the bindings that Kaine had half undone. Once she finished with her hands, she looked back and saw that Kaine had two of the Noir laying on the ground. It didn’t matter if they were dead or not, they just needed to get out quickly. The undead girl moved to the feet bindings, which were slightly easier.

She heard a third person drop to the ground, but didn’t bother turning around until Kaine started speaking. The fourth was at the end of Kaine’s sword, bleeding black blood. “You and your kind have been living underground for so long, not causing a problem, why now?”

The noir just laughed and Kaine took off his head in one swing. Eden over to the boy who was still very unconscious and put him over her shoulder. He had always been light, but with her undead strength it was easier as cake. Kaine was carrying her priestess bridal style and didn’t say anything as she started running back the way they came.

Just like on the way in, they didn’t encounter any other Noir as they made their way out. The two guardsmen had even disappeared. Neither Eden nor Kaine were going to complain, but it was odd.

Once they were outside, Kaine kept running, back to where civilization seemingly started. Kaine then paused, leaning against a chain link fence and looking down at the priestess who had passed out at some point during the run.

“We need to get back. The sun is starting to rise.” Eden looked at Kaine very seriously. Their trek had taken them pretty far from the House of Night.

“Call Anmarie. Tell her to ignore traffic laws.” Kaine was panting, which wasn’t surprising after the fight and the running.

Eden stared at her blankly for a few seconds before frowned. “I’m going to use yours.”

Kaine turned around so she could take it out of her back pocket. Anmarie wasn’t happy when she initially answered. It was obvious she had just laid down for bed. When it was Eden speaking, she cheered up slightly, slightly.

It wasn’t long before Andus showed up in one of the warrior hummers, with very tinted windows. Circe’s boytoy got the very back seat to himself, thrown there haphazardly by Eden before she crawled up into shotgun. Kaine sat in the middle with Circe, stroking her hair.

As soon as they arrived to the school, Eden ran into the closest building, which happened to the rec room the dark daughters used for meetings. Kaine carried her priestess toward the infirmary, ignoring Andus yelling at her as he got the human from the back.


	22. Drowning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is close to the end. If anyone reading this has finished the House of Night series, I would really love to know how it ends ultimately, like what's the state of the Vampyre world and Tusla. If anyone could sum up what post-Zoey HON looks like, that would be great.

Anmarie looked shocked when she saw Kaine, so much so that she dropped whatever she was getting ready. Kaine took in a sharp breath and looked away. “We’ll talk about it later. Circe… Circe’s…”

Nodding, the Priestess nodded for Kaine to put Circe on one of the beds. Without another word she started unwrapping the rags around Circe’s arm. As she unwrapped it, she felt sicker and sicker. There was no skin or muscle from the wrist to just above the elbow. The bone was showing and bloodied.

Anmarie stepped away from the fledgling and took off a glove as she picked up the phone. Kaine touched Circe’s face gently as she listened to Anmarie talk to Michael, the anatomy professor who had been a doctor before becoming a professor in retirement.

Before Anmarie hung up on the other Vampyre, Andus finally came in and set the human boy on another cot. He put his hand on Kaine’s shoulder. “Come, a newly changed Vampyre needs to spend time in the temple.”

“It’s not Nyx I need Andus.” Kaine said in a monotone voice without looking back at him.

“Then let’s go to the lobby. You cannot help your priestess at the moment and we must take care of your wounds.” Andus gripped her shoulder a little harder.

Kaine looked at Anmarie who nodded. “I will call you when you can see her. I will also let you rest before we talk about what happened.”

As he was tending to her wounds, Kaine knew that Andus was talking, but she wasn’t listening. Even when he pushed her broken nose back to place, didn’t she even acknowledge his presence.

“All done.” She finally looked at him, and he just smiled at her and wiped a tear from her eyes. “Go clean yourself up, young vampyre.”

She put her hand on the knob for her and Kimi’s dorm, but heard that her roommate was sleeping soundly inside and removed it. The sound of video games was coming from the room across the hall. Kaine took a deep breath and walked into Tilla and Eden’s room. Tilla dropped her DS when she looked up at her friend.

“Kaine… You… what… where… WHAT?” Tilla said as she stood up and walked over to the other girl.

“It’s a long story… I’m going to shower… Can I borrow some clothes, I don’t want to wake Kimi.” Kaine forced a smile at her.

Tilla nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll try to find something that’ll fit your tits.”

When Kaine walked into the bathroom, she tried not to look into the mirror. She didn’t want to see it. But she was going to eventually.

Seeing her face so covered in sapphire was shocking. She had just gotten used to the small outline on her forehead, but the solid blue in the center of all the designs was just too much. An eye was on the inside of the crescent, a sword went across her forehead on the other side. From the eye came a thorned vine, and ran down onto her right eyelid to Xia’s symbol  under her eyes. The sword was wrapped delicately with a vine with small leaves; the vine sprouted flowers as it curved around her left eye.

She reached out to the Mirror as she started crying. The Mark was beautiful and told others very clearly what it was she could do. The only thing it cost was an innocent life.

“You okay?” Tilla knocked on the door.

“That’s a dumb question…” Kaine mumbled before stripping her blood covered clothes and getting in the shower.

The door opened then. Tilla sat down on the floor, against the door. “I’m sorry… I tried to get Circe to stop going out, but she wouldn’t listen to me. You left me in charge while you were gone and…”

“It’s okay Tilla. I made it in time, that’s all that matters…” Kaine took a breath. “I let our soulmate die while we were in Tulsa…”

“WHAT?” She probably woke up her neighbors, a pair of bitchy sixth formers.

“She rejected the change, and it just so happens that sometimes fledglings that reject the change come back at the Tulsa HON.” Kaine looked out to smile at Tilla. “So she’s technically alive, but she’s very different.”

Tilla wiped the tears that had started running down her cheeks. “Different how?”

“She’s a lot more like Dracula now. No one’s really sure on all of the specifics.” Kaine put her head back inside the shower. “I’m not entirely sure where she is now, but we’ll see her again when the sun goes down.”

“Shouldn’t we go looking for her? I mean-…”

“She’d kill you if you woke her up right now.”

“Okay.” Tilla sat there in silence for a while. “So, your Mark…”

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“I get that, but when?”

“If I didn’t eat before we went to save Circe, all four of us would’ve died. I hadn’t had fresh blood in so long that I couldn’t help myself.”

“I’m sorry. How is Circe?”

“Bad. She’ll be okay, but she’s in bad shape.”

Tilla apologized again. “Where did you find her?”

“With the Noir.”

“So it’s really… they’re really… wow…”

“Wow isn’t the word I’d use. I’d use ‘ew’ or just loud screaming.”

The fledgling couldn’t help but laugh as she stood up. “So what happens to you now, now that you’re all grown up?”

“I don’t know.”

Kaine smiled at Tilla once she was dressed, but didn’t say anything as she sat on Eden ‘s bed. Tilla looked at her but just picked her game back up. They sat like that for a while.

“You look tired; you should try to get some sleep.” Tilla didn’t look up when she said it.

“I’m afraid of what I might dream of.” Kaine mumbled. Despite that, a while later, Kaine had fallen asleep. Tilla draped a blanket on the ball of Kaine before settling into bed herself.

Tilla’s alarm went off several hours later. Kaine woke with a choked gasp, turning to the side to pant heavily. Surprisingly, Tilla was already up and was mostly ready.

“You okay?” Tilla poked her head out of the bathroom, toothpaste still on her chin.

“Yeah… I just… nightmare.” Kaine sat up and held her chest. Her other half gave her an unimpressed look, like that was obvious. “I was drowning in blood… and Nyx turned her back on me.”

“Well, considering you killed two people in the last week and a half, and you changed into something that technically isn’t hers, it makes sense to fear that.” Tilla disappeared and reappeared with a clean face. “But Nyx doesn’t do that stuff.”

Before Kaine could answer, the door opened. Kaine braced for Xia or Anmarie, but Kimi and Cleo both came into view. Both fledglings were staring at her with wide eyes and open jaws.

“We’ll talk about it later.” Kaine stood up from Eden’s bed. “I have some things I need to do.”

“Where’s Circe?” Cleo asked as Kaine pushed between the two girls.

“The infirmary. I’m going to go check on her.” Kaine opened her and Kimi’s door, so she could change, but her roommate wrapped her arms around her. Once Kimi had let go, Kaine disappeared into the room.

“I guess the rest of us should get to class.” Tilla sighed as she picked up her bag and nodded at her friends.


	23. Priestess, oh, Priestess

Kaine paused at the temple door, but opened the door. Students and professors were eating breakfast so it should’ve been empty. Eden turned to look at her when she entered, but quickly turned back to stare at the statue of Nyx.

The two stood in silence for a while. “How’s Circe?”

“I haven’t seen her yet. That was my next stop, then I was going to look for you.” Kaine glanced at her friend.

“You found me.” Eden smiled and closed her eyes. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“I’d like to not have to explain your Mark to Anmarie until later.”

“Hmm, then perhaps I should get a shower and some blood. I’m quite hungry myself.” Eden looked over at her. “Needing blood is so inconvenient.”

Snorting, Kaine looked up at the likeness of Nyx. “I dreamt that she turned her back on me…”

“She wouldn’t do that. Look at Neferet, all the harm she did, and Nyx still wished she could help her.” Eden’s soft smile turned into a grin. “Me on the other hand, keep it up and I might find someone else to follow around.”

"You almost did betray me last night." Kaine looked at her seriously. Eden froze, she had hoped Kaine had been too distracted to notice her lapse in judgement. "But I understand."

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to talk about it." Eden sighed when she realized her friend wasn't going to remove her head. "I had a moment of weakness and you earned my loyalty in the end. I can steal someone's mind, but you won the right to live."

A smile crept across her face as she headed back to the door. "I know."

"Damn mindreader." Eden scoffed, her focus again on the statue.

"I cheated by the way, when we played rock-paper-scissors. And I'll buy you a new cell phone." Kaine could feel Eden roll her eyes as she left the temple.

Anmarie was asleep on one of the cots. Circe's boyfriend was gone. There was a curtain around the bed that Kaine could sense her priestess in. She shook Anmarie gently, trying to keep her composure.

The High Priestess opened her eyes and looked at Kaine. She groaned and rubbed her eyes.

“I know. I was hoping it was a dream when I woke up too.” Kaine smiled at her.

“I suppose you want a report on Circe and the boy before you explain what the hell happened?” Anmarie stood and looked away with a frown.

“That would be nice.”

“He didn’t seem to be injured except for a blow to the head. We don’t have the equipment to examine it here, but he is stable.” Anmarie looked at her. “I had Andus take him to the hospital, hopefully Circe will be able to give me contact information to pass to them. Circe… had massive damage to her arm which you saw, as well as an infection…”

“You had to amputate it.” Kaine flexed the fingers on her own left hand. “What about her stomach wound?”

“It was a ragged job, damage to the skin and muscle, but she’ll heal. I cut away some of the infected tissue, to help with the healing.”

“Did it look like teeth? Like they tore into her?” Kaine looked at the curtain.

“Yes. It will take a while to heal, even with my skills as a priestess…” Anmarie sighed and pulled the curtain back. Circe looked pale, but otherwise at peace as she slept. Kaine could see that most of her arm was gone, only about a quarter of it was left. With a frown, she took her priestess's hand, the one she still had.

“She’ll be shocked when she sees you, Miss Macabre.” Anmarie put a hand on her shoulder. “The medicine should ware off in an hour or two, come we have a lot to talk about.”

As they sat in the waiting room of the infirmary, Anmarie was silent. Kaine worked backwards as she told the story. Starting with the Noir and her and Eden’s (mostly her) dashing rescue of the priestess-to-be, Anmarie looked terrified when as she heard the description of the monsters. Next she spoke of her change, which turned the priestess’s face sad, for both the life Kaine took and the pain she endured. Lastly she detailed her and Eden’s time in Tulsa, including Eden’s death. That just made Anmarie confused.

“Okay, so a birdman? And Neferet is what? And Eden died, but she didn’t actually die, but she’s different? What?” Anmarie rubbed her temples, trying to sooth her building headache.

“Which is exactly why we came back. Our problems here are a lot less confusing.” Kaine shrugged. “And you’ll see, about Eden, when you see her. She’ll probably be hiding in the dorms.”

“But, what Neferet did, it sounds like it could affect the entire world. She killed Shekinah.”

“It also sounds like we have our own problems. I have given the person Nyx has chosen to fix the Neferet problem all the help I can give her.” Kaine frowned. “Until I’m asked by a cosmic entity, Miss Perfect can take care of the problem herself.”

Anmarie hummed as if she was considering what Kaine said. Finally, she nodded. “Alright. Then about your new Mark, what do you think the best course of action is?”

“I don’t know.” The new adult vampyre hunched over and put her hands on the back of her head. “I don’t even know what’s so different about me now, since I’m not a normal vampyre.”

“It is clear that you are no longer a fledgling, but I also know you are not ready to be an adult yet.” Anmarie stood and stepped across the small space to bend in front of her. “Do you wish to stay in the fledgling dorms?”

Kaine shook her head. “Yes, but I know I shouldn’t. I can’t go out on my own yet though.”

“Then we shall prepare a room for you in the professors’ dorm. You will be accessible to your friends, and them to you, but there will be the separation of Vampyre from Fledgling.” Kaine made a small sound of agreement. Anmarie continued with suggestions. “Some classes may be beneficial for you to continue to attend, but completing the change means that you have technically earned a diploma from the school.”

“Like an upper sociology and my warrior training,” Kaine glanced at the priestess, who nodded. “Since I’m an adult, maybe I could teach a class.”

Anmarie couldn’t help but laugh. “Perhaps we can arrange you as a teaching assistant, if you truly wish it, but you are more than welcome to continue taking any other classes you want to take.”

“Alright. Until my room is ready, I’ll stay with Kimi?” Kaine stared at the older woman, who nodded.

“So, what to do with you is settled. What should we do with this hoard of monsters under our city?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know what they were trying to accomplish.” The warrior sat back and let her head fall against the wall. “We should ask the Goddesses more, and discuss it with the warriors. It won’t be a quick fix. Taking Circe was just their first move.”

“I will keep the school on alert. Perhaps we should lock down the school.” Anmarie looked towards the door.

“Tulsa was locked down, and that priestess… let’s not do that.” Kaine cringed thinking about her time at the southern HON.

“Then maybe limiting unescorted outings.”

“They’re only active on new moons. They can’t walk in sun or moon light.”

“Then locking it down on just those nights, perhaps?”

“That might work.” Kaine looked at the priestess who had stood back up and was looking like she wanted to begin pacing. “We’ll be alright, all of us will.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Ill-guided optimism.”

Anmarie nodded and gave into her urge to pace. Kaine watched her, like she was pendulum.

“Anmarie. When did you get Marked?” Kaine asked idly.

She paused and looked at the girl. With a small smile, she sat down. “It’s been almost three hundred years now. Before I was a vampyre, I was a servant in a lord’s castle in northern England. I was deeply in love with the lord’s youngest son, we had been childhood playmates and I was only a few years older than he was.”

“I was a little younger than you when I was Marked, only the day after he left to meet his wife to be, a Scottish princess. The lady of the house was terrified of vampyres and had me immediately sent to the London House of Night, just to get me out of her house.”

“I bet you were a very diligent student.” Kaine smiled at her.

“On the contrary, I was quite a terrible student. I skipped many classes and found myself in the male dorms more often than I should’ve been. After losing my beloved, I was heartbroken and wanted to forget the man I could not have. My priestess was sure I would reject the age before I became a fourth former, due to my grief and reckless choices.”

“Really? Knowing you now, that’s almost difficult to believe.”

“Yes, but when you tell your story to a young, scared vampyre, I doubt they will believe that you are as you are now.” Anmarie gave her a sweet smile. “In time you will have immense wisdom and you will truly be an adult.”

“That’s if I live that long…” Kaine mumbled, receiving a glare from the priestess. Anmarie wanted to finish the story. “Sorry.”

“When I became a fourth former, my priestess was surprised. She was even more surprised to find that I had the Goddess on speed dial, if you would. I was deemed priestess worthy and was to become the next leader of the Dark Daughters. The day I gained the position was also the day I received a new fledgling as a roommate. Still not wanting to do anything but wallow in the bed of a man, I shoved all of my duties onto her.”

“How irresponsible.”

“Indeed. By the time I changed, I had not yet gotten over my lost love, but I had realized that how I was dealing with it was the wrong way. I grew up in that last few months as a fledgling.” Anmarie sighed. “But my High Priestess had tired of my antics, she sent me to finish my training with the High Priestess of the Scottish House of Night. It was odd being at a new House of Night, after spending so long at another.”

“Tell me about it.”

“While there, I was respected. A priestess that could speak to Nyx whenever she wished, and no one there had heard the reputation I had earned in London. I looked forward to learning many new things while there, but I also found something I had lost. A sixth former warrior who was once a lord’s son.”

“I take it that lord’s son was Andus all along?” Kaine was trying to decide between grinning and puking.

“Yes. He had been Marked as his fiancée had been walking down the aisle.” Anmarie couldn’t help but smile. “It was almost as if it was a fairytale, isn’t it?”

“If Disney wasn’t morally opposed to our kind, they’d probably make a movie about it.”

“I supposed they would, wouldn’t they.” The priestess sighed again. “But I’m sure you can imagine that it was difficult to get reacquainted. It was especially difficult as he was still a fledgling and I an adult.”

“Oh, how difficult.” Kaine said it dryly, but Anmarie took it lightly. “What did you two do, after you were a real priestess and he finally became your warrior?”

“We moved here, to America. The original American House of Night was in Virginia and was moved here recently when the old one was burned down in the sixties. I had a very interesting job of traveling to plantations and paying for the freedom of slaves that had been Marked, as well as teaching equestrian studies.”

The warrior grinned. “You should tell more people this. I think hearing it really helped put me at ease, if only a little.”

“It is standard practice at this House for mentors to tell their fledglings their stories when they become sixth formers. Andus would’ve told you his side of this story had you aged like a proper fledgling.”

“Sue me for being different.”

“Some of your other professors had a much more tragic marking or change than I did, if you need more past experiences to draw wisdom to draw on.”

Before Kaine could respond, she heard noise from Circe’s bed. She looked over and saw movement. Circe was waking up.


	24. Difficult Conversations

Kaine looked down at the blonde as she came out of the anesthesia. Babbling was a common trait among their friends, and Kaine could only imagine how bad it would be coming out of a drug induced coma.

“Kaine?” Circe said as she finally took in her surroundings. “What… Your Mark… Where’s Anthony?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the predictability. Pressing a kiss to her priestess’s forehead, Kaine closed her eyes. “What were you thinking? It’s dangerous enough out in a city like this, but… Me and Anmarie told you not to leave without me.”

“I-…” Circe’s apology was cut short as she looked at her left arm. Kaine looked at her sadly.

“It was in bad shape, they had to take it.”

That’s when Circe started crying. Kaine soothed her hair, telling her in shorter terms what had happened.

“I’m sorry. I… I’m so sorry.” Circe reached up with the hand she still had and traced Kaine’s new mark. “I know what you had to do to get that. Was it because of…”

“Yes. But don’t worry about it. Worrying will make you heal slower.” The warrior turned away. “Get some more rest, you need it.”

“Where are you going?” Circe asked her as she walked out. Kaine didn’t answer, even when the High Priestess echoed the question.

Cloe, Kimi, and Tilla were walking between buildings when someone called out their names in turn. Before they could turn, Tilla was getting tackled to the ground in a hug. A second person followed with sigh and the click of heals.

Kimi and Cloe clutched their text books closer as the second pulled the first off of their friend.

“Seriously Sophie?” The second was blonde and had a very severe, mean face. She wore more clothes than Xia usually did, but they were still more revealing.

“Sorry Ese.” The first looked to be about their age, and sensibly dressed, but something about her made her seem odd. “Anyway, thought we’d come say hi while we were here!”

“It was a simple errand, why can’t we just go?”

“Ese?” Kimi stared at the blonde woman. “You're Xia's sister.”

“Elder twin more accurately. People like her more.” Ese crossed her arms. “Not that it matters, because I want to leave now.”

“And then you're…” Tilla stared at the other woman.

“Xia’s little helper spirit…” Sophie jumped and then pulled something out of her pocket. “I actually have something for you, Tilla. We got done with yours early, so…”

She held out a small jewelry box. Tilla took it, but didn’t open it. “Thank you?”

“Don’t mention it. Eden’s luggage is in your room by the way. Those two, just forgetting their luggage. Such silly goobers.”

“Kaine’s is in your room, Kimi.” Ese then started walking toward the gate. “Come on Sophie, Xia will think we’ve run away if we don’t get back.”

“We’ll probably see you guys around!” Sophie waved as she was dragged out of the HON grounds.

Cleo let out the breath she had been holding, before looking between Kimi and Tilla. Kimi glanced back at her. “You joined after we dreamed about them, so you didn’t get one that picked you.”

“I am so glad.” Cleo muttered before nudging Tilla. “Please tell me that’s not something that is going to kill us in some horrible fashion.”

“It’s going to be great fashion. Sophie is the most fashionable of the Xia faction.” Tilla opened the box. She found a necklace, a yellow ribbon fashioned into a choker necklace with a pair of eighth notes hanging down.

Kimi helped Tilla put it on. “When Sophie said yours was done… Do you think?”

“Yeah, I think Xia’s got a present for each of use.” Tilla frowned at them. “Whatever this is, it’s cute, eh?”

Both girls nodded, despite their sour expressions. Their stupor was broken by Siegfried running past them, yelling about being late. They rushed after him, remembering their own classes.

When they finally got done, they headed back to the dorms, flanked by the boys. Eos had been rather excited when he heard that Kaine had returned, though peeved when none of the girls gave him any information. Before the got inside, their phones buzzed with a text from Kaine.

“Sorry boys, girls only unfortunately.” Cleo looked at them as Tilla stuck her tongue out.

Kimi smiled and patted Eos’s arm. “She probably wants to talk to you one on one.”

“Whatever.” He shrugged away from the touch and dragged Siegfried towards the training building.

“So much dragging of people today.” Tilla mused before turning around to meet Eden and Kaine in the Temple.

Kaine and Eden were fighting like a married couple when the three of them entered the temple. The three normal fledglings stared at them, their presence either unnoticed or ignored.

“The lights hurt my eyes Kaine!” Eden was standing in front of the control for the gas in the lamps lining the room.

“And if we keep the lights down, our friends can’t see your face.” Kaine had her hand on her sword and the other three guessed they’d been fighting about it for a while.

“Well, maybe I don’t want them to see my face? Ever think of that?”

“Goddesses, your stupid.” Kaine wiped her hand down her face. She then looked at her friends, all of which were on the verge of laughter. “Hey guys.”

“So, are you going to tell us what the fuck happened?” Kimi took a few steps towards her.

Kaine hummed, her eyes focused on Cleo. “Circe’ll be alright. You guys can go see when we’re done here, but you’ll find she’s missing something.”

Cleo nodded thankfully.

“So, your Mark, you're changed now?” Kimi frowned at her roommate, reaching towards her face.

Kaine ducked away from the touch, but explained what happened, in excruciating details. Cleo and Kimi both apologized. She shrugged. “Personally, I think Eden’s Mark is much more interesting than mine.”

Everyone’s eyes fell to Eden, who grumbled and turned the lights up. All three girls gasped. “Eden, what happened?”

“I died? Duh?” Eden rolled her eyes as Kaine explained what she knew about red fledglings.

“Wow, I never thought I’d say this, but you’re weirder than Kaine!” Tilla squealed as she hugged her roommate.

“No one is weirder than me!” Kaine said it with a smile as she walked towards the doors.

“Where are you going?” Kimi asked with a pout.

“Bed, I’m dead tired.”

Cleo followed after her, racing to see her roommate in the infirmary. Kimi and Tilla both interrogated Eden about her new mark and about Kaine. Eden was very annoyed by their questions, mostly because she didn’t know the answers any better they did.

Kaine and Eden had been back a week. The school was adjusting to them and they were adjusting to themselves. Eden went to classes with her friends, as before, but she occasionally found herself skipping to look for Kaine. Kaine hadn’t been to a class since she returned, not even her warrior training. Circe was still in the infirmary, her stomach wound still a problem but her stump was mostly healed. There had been no word from the Goddesses since their return.

It was obvious to her friends that Kaine was avoiding her boyfriend. It was also obvious to them why. None of them had the courage to bring it up, not even Eden. They knew that Eos had heard that Kaine had Changed, but not a one of them had confirmed or denied the rumors going around the school.

Finally, Kaine couldn’t sleep one day and went to the training building. She had been punching the dummy in the corner for about an hour when she heard the doors open.

Siegfried was complaining, but stopped. Kaine knew Eos was with him, but didn’t stop her frustrated training.

“Kaine.” Eos sounded angry. He had even tried going to the dorms to see her, but she always forced Kimi or Tilla to tell him that she wasn’t there.

Kaine stopped punching the dummy and instead leaned on it. “I was hoping to train alone.”

The male repeated her name and walked towards her. Kaine heard Siegfried leave and she sighed.

“You must’ve heard, right?” Kaine turned to look at him, pain in her eyes. Eos stared at her forehead, taking in a breath.

“It’s beautiful.” Eos smiled at her, not understanding the look on her face. He reached out for her cheek and she moved out of her reach. “I don’t understand.”

“We can’t do this anymore.”

The pain was infectious when she said that. His eyes went dark and he flinched as if she had punched him. “Kaine… What happened while you were away?”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t do this to you anymore.” Kaine shook her head and covered her face.

“It’s not me, it’s you?”

“Eos, I’m a Vampyre now. You’re still a fledgling. We can’t do this.” She made a pained noise. “I can’t do this.”

“Screw the rules, I’m not going to lose you because suddenly you’re an _adult._ ” Eos took her shoulders.

“I don’t want to lose anyone else. I’ve killed two people, I almost lost Circe, and I did lose Eden. I don’t want to lose you.” Kaine was crying now, as she tried to pull out of his grip.

“You’re not going to lose me. You might’ve noticed, but I can take care of myself.” He tried smiling at her.

“I can’t protect you from me. What if… Eos, please… I can’t do this…” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cried into his chest. “Eos, I don’t know what I am anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter what you are, I still love you. I’m not scared of you, I trust you more than anyone else.” He hugged her close to him, kissing the top of her head. “Give yourself a chance okay?”

She didn’t reply, just kept crying. When she finally stopped crying, she didn’t say look at him as she left. He sighed once she was gone and took her place punching the training dummy. Eos hit it so hard, it broke.


	25. Gift Horse

Blood haunted Kaine’s dreams, so instead of sleeping she haunted the grounds. Sometimes she would take laps around the walls and other times she would sit in a tree with a book. Her friends were growing increasingly concerned. Her lack of sleep and lack of blood were obvious, when they saw her.

Eden threw an acorn from the tree Kaine was perched in at the girl. Kaine groaned and hopped down and leaned against the trunk. “Shouldn’t you be in class?”

“Shouldn’t you?”

“Anmarie said that classes were optional for me now.” Kaine wasn’t looking at Eden so Eden threw another acorn at her. “What’s your excuse?”

“The other fledglings are terrified of me, especially the upperclassmen that can smell the death on me.” She shrugged and took a few steps towards her friend. “You need to…”

“I know, but I can’t. I won’t take the chances of… you know…”

“It’s been almost two weeks since you changed, have you even been drinking the bagged stuff?” When Kaine didn’t say anything, Eden just groaned and turned to walk away. “Two more days, then I’m going to pour some blood down your damn throat.”

“I can always count on you.” Kaine said to the back of her friend’s head as she watched her walk away.

When she returned to the dorm later, she found all of her friends gathered in her room. Everyone was holding a gift box, with a ribbon corresponding to their element, except Tilla and Eden. Eden looked pissed that she was the only one without a present, but her thoughts told Kaine that the undead girl was quite relieved.

Kaine took Circe’s box and looked at the tag. “She was here, and didn’t come talk to me?” She tried to sound angry, but it just came out as tired. With a sigh, she opened it for her friend, who despite the entire week she spent on bedrest looked worse for the ware. She pulled back her hand with a wince when she touched the silver tiara that was sitting in the box. Holding it out to a confused Circe, she shook her now burnt hand as Circe withdrew it from the box.

Tilla looked at it as Circe put it on, with a little difficulty. “A sapphire, like water. Like my gun and Kaine’s sword.” She then took the box from Kaine and found a necklace buried in the tissue paper, a simple glass teardrop hanging from a black ribbon. Cleo helped Circe put the necklace on as Kimi opened her box.

Kimi found a bracelet with an amethyst hanging from it. Instead of her wrist though, she put it around her familiar’s neck and Bootsee proudly held up her head to show off her new collar. She also found a mother of pearl cat face handing off a delicate silver chain.

When Cleo opened her box, the smallest of the three, she found a ring with a ruby as well as small copper and gold flame hanging from a leather cord. She looked at Kaine after she had the ring on her finger. “Why would she give us these?”

“The gems, if you call your element, they glow. I’ve noticed that I’m stronger when the gem on my sword is lit.” Kaine sighed as she sat on her bed, much to the dismay to Cleo and Eden’s cats who had been laying on it previously. “The necklaces, probably just her being nice… ish.”

Tilla elbowed Eden gently, getting a glare from her roommate. “Don’t worry, I’ll order you a necklace so you don’t feel left out.”

“I don’t feel left out.” Eden said as she rubbed her arm where Tilla had elbowed her. “By the way Kaine, Anmarie said she wanted to see you.”

“My room is probably ready.” Kaine sighed before heading out with a slight wave to her friends.

Anmarie was sitting quietly at her desk, sipping at a teacup. Without saying anything, she motioned for Kaine to sit across from her. “Would you like a cup?”

“No thanks.” Kaine said with a huff, staring at the priestess. “What did you need?”

“Firstly, your room is ready for you. Room 302, next to Professor Andromeda and Eleanor.”

Kaine wondered how many points Anmarie had, as she nodded. “I suppose I should go pack after I am finished here.”

 “You can wait for tomorrow to move, I know that you might need one more night in the dorm with your friends.Secondly, have you heard even a peep from either Nyx or Xia?”

Shaking her head, Kaine’s eyes found a small box on Anmaries desk, white with ribbon. “Is that from Xia? Everyone but Eden got one earlier today.”

Humming Anmarie, took the box and held it out to Kaine. “I haven’t opened it yet.”

As she reached for it to open it, Kaine told Anmarie of the gifts the others had gotten from the goddess. Kaine finally pulled out just a necklace, a silver Nyx supporting a crescent cut from opal. Anmarie reached to take the necklace. “It’s quite lovely.”

“Her taste in jewelry is probably her best quality.” Kaine looked at the necklace as Anmarie put it on, feeling like there had to be a counterpart with a black moon. “Though, the fact that you got something means that you’ve been factored into her plans.”

“Thirdly, Eden mentioned to me that you have not any blood since you’ve returned to Baltimore.” Anmarie continued onto her list. “Your friends are rightfully worried about you, as am I. I understand your fear, after what has happened with others you have drank from, but…”

“I don’t want to make a stupid choice again. If I imprint with someone, how long until I kill them? It’s not as easy as…”

“You are a vampyre Kaine, and you need blood, perhaps even more than the rest of us. Please, at least try bagged blood. I will not pressure you into imprinting with someone. An imprint is a special bond, that all vampyres should think long and hard before making, and you even more so.” Anmarie smiled at her. “It is made even more difficult by your age. You are an adult by vampyre standards, but you are still only a teenager. Human teenagers, their emotions are fleeting and to imprint with one is to certainly sign a death warrant. Fledglings, while I would overlook a relationship with one, I could not overlook an imprint.”

Kaine didn’t respond, just nodded. She felt like there was definitely a fourthly and it was about a very specific fledgling.

“Which is a good transition into my last concern. Eos, many professors and Siegfried have commented on his mood since you’ve returned. Have you…”

“I don’t want to hurt him. I’ve been scared of hurting him since we met.” Kaine put her head in her hands. “He doesn’t understand, and I don’t know how to make him see that I can’t… It used to be a comfort that I couldn’t read his mind, but now it’s just infuriating.”

“Does he know everything? He feels very strongly for you, Kaine.”

“That’s what scares me the most, Anmarie. He’d die to protect me, and it’s very likely that he will have to.”

“Perhaps he needs to hear that. It  is a warrior’s instinct to protect, especially those they care about. It is an instinct you have yourself, and I’m sure it is difficult to ignore.”

Kaine stood up then and left, without saying anything else to the priestess. Anmarie sighed and picked her tea cup back up, mumbling a parting to herself.


	26. Fateful Meeting

She couldn’t go back to her dorm right away, her blood was boiling and she wasn’t sure why. After a few laps around the Nyx statue in the center of the quad, Kaine finally cooled down. With a huff, she sat down and leaned against the statue that she had told her that she wasn’t like other fledglings on her first day.

“I never thought this would be easy,” Kaine said aloud, seemingly to the statue, “but for fuck’s sake, a little more help couldn’t hurt.”

Without an answer, she closed her eyes and waited for a few minutes before deciding that she might as well go pack. She stood up and finally headed back to her dorm. Kimi looked up at her and entered.

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks.” Kaine rolled her eyes as she pulled out the packs she had used to pack before she came to the HON.

“So, I guess you are moving then?” Kimi stood up and took a few steps closer.

“I have one last night here in the dorm. Anmarie thought I’d want one more night with you guys, but I just…”

Kimi wrapped her arms around Kaine’s shoulders. “We know. We know what you’re going through is hard. Maybe we don’t know what you’re going through, but it can’t be easy.”

“I know, I wish I knew how you guys could help. Maybe you could help with my packing and carrying it over tomorrow?”

“I can do that. How about a circle movie night downstairs when we’re done?”

Kaine groaned. “I don’t have a choice, do I? No chick flics though.”

“Oh yes, chick flic.”

Packing with Kimi was fun, and so was the movie. Eden ate all of Tilla’s popcorn, while commenting about her dislike of popcorn. Circe leaned on Kaine’s shoulder as Kaine ran her fingers through her hair. Cleo had her legs propped up on Circe’s legs. Kimi and Tilla both had their heads leaned on Kaine’s knees from where they were sitting on the ground. When the movie was over, all of the fledglings were yawning. Kaine knocked Eden on the side of her head for being dramatic about it.

“I think its bed time.” Kaine said with a smile as she nudged Tilla, who had fallen asleep.

When Kaine finally did crawl in bed, she felt sick. It was like getting hit in the gut. She bared it a while before she got up and puked in the bathroom. Kimi asked her if she was okay when Kaine came back in and started putting her clothes from the day before on.

“I can’t do this anymore… I need… Or I’m going to die…” Kaine leaned against the door as she breathed heavily.

“What are you going to do?” Kimi sat up then, staring at her roommate through the dark.

“Hopefully something I don’t regret. Get some sleep Kimi.” Then Kaine left, closing the door as quietly as possible.

She left the House grounds and went out into the city. It was early to the humans that lived in Baltimore, the sun had only been up long enough for a few overzealous people to be out and about.

It took a few minutes of wandering for her to pick a location. The cemetery that Emma and her father were buried in was in the online eulogies. She closed her eyes for a second before pulling out her phone and googling directions.

When she arrived she wandered around the grounds, flexing out her connection to Earth to find the fresh graves. She sat in front of Emma’s grave when she found it.

“I’m sorry Emma.” She brought her knees to her chest and wiped a tear. “I took from you without telling you all of the truth and then you died because I was selfish. _Fuck_ , and now I’m going to try and do it to someone else…”

“At least I didn’t kill you on purpose. I killed your father in cold blood. Even the fact that I would’ve died without both of you… It’s not a good enough excuse. I took something I can never give back…”

Time passed as she sat there, but she didn’t notice as she cried from her grief and the pain. She didn’t even notice someone approach the grave site until she smelled the flowers.

“Oh, I’m sorry…” A male voice said as he gripped the flowers tighter and his heart beat rose. His scent was familiar enough, like Emma. She assumed the brother from the family portraits.

“It’s fine, I should probably go.” She stood up.

“Are you a friend of Emma’s? I didn’t see you at the funeral.”

“Emma and I didn’t know each other long. I’m sorry for your loss.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she gritted her teeth as he spoke. “Thank you, for coming to visit her.”

“Don’t thank me.” She turned to look at him and he looked shocked, but not upset. “I just wanted to tell her that I was sorry.”

“So it was a vampyre.” He sighed sadly, squeezing her shoulder in a comforting way. “I want to know what happened.”

Kaine looked at him strangely. He was tall and looked a lot like Emma, except his eyes, but those were familiar too. He was very handsome but looked ungroomed. The leather jacket he was wearing looked old. The man was just smiling at her sadly. Finally, she nodded. “Alright, but let’s go somewhere else.”

He took his hand off her shoulder before heading toward the cemetery gate. She followed warily. When they got to the gate, he took the helmet of crotch-rocket and nodded to her.

“My name is Sampson by the way.” Sampson put the helmet on and patted the seat for her to join him.

“Kaine.”

She should’ve been more surprised when he stopped in front of Emma’s house, but she shrugged off all her other issues. Sampson wanted and deserved answers so she followed him inside.

“I’m surprised you’re staying here…” Kaine mumbled as he was sitting his keys on the table by the door.

“I don’t have enough money to rent a hotel room and I need to sort through all this stuff anyway…”

Her eyes fell to the mirror over the small table; it was still smeared with some blood. His eyes followed hers.

“They were all found like that when they found my dad…”

“Sorry about that too…” Kaine grimaced at him as she walked past him into the kitchen.

He didn’t say anything, only went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. When he looked up at her after a few swigs, she nodded.

“I didn’t mean to kill your sister. I was desperate for blood and she was the only human I knew in town… It didn’t go the way I wanted it to…”

“You seem a little young to be a full vampyre, I’m sensing there’s a story to that?”

“The story is the broken and bloody mirrors. My Mark is backwards, it makes me different, stronger than other vampyres, but also more desperate for blood. Other fledglings could survive off bagged blood and don’t need it until years into the process, but I needed it almost immediately. It’s why I needed your sister’s blood.”

“Did you take too much?”

“No. But, I only need a drop of blood to form an imprint, even if only a weak imprint. I was made to break the imprint.”

“And that killed her. Just like our mom…”

“Your mother died because of the pain the breaking caused her, because her life had become dependent on being tied to the vampyre… Emma died simply because our bond was broken.”

“Another perk, unfortunately.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I was desperate again and I needed to protect someone I cared about. This house… I was drawn back to it, to your father. I drained him, which is what made me a full vampyre.”

“And cracked all the mirrors…”

“You’re an awfully good sport for listening to the person that murdered what was left of your family.” She snorted as she wiped her eyes.

“I don’t think what you did was murder. You’re obviously remorseful.”

“I hope you’re not in law enforcement.” Kaine smiled at him before looking at his beer. “You got another one of those?”

He nodded and tossed one to her. “Though, aren’t you a little young to drink?”

“If I were still human, this would be a problem, but this Mark means I’m a bonified adult.”

Sampson snorted and sat his beer down. “I’m not even a real adult.”

When Kaine finished laughing, the two sat in silence for a while, leaning on the center island and drinking their beers. When Sampson had finished his, he looked back up at her.

“So what about now?”

“What do you mean?” She set the bottle down and stared at him.

“Do you need blood now?” When she looked away it was enough of an answer for him. “What happens if you don’t get blood?”

“I honestly don’t know. Maybe I lose control and attack people without… maybe I die…” Shaking her head, she straightened up and looked towards the door. “Anyone I drink from is going to have to be with me for the rest of their lives or die…”

“Maybe it’s fate that you ended up here again.” He walked around the island and smiled at her. Her eyes went wide as she looked up at him. “How many other people are going to be okay with what you just told me? I don’t want you to have to suffer by making that choice again, and I don’t want anyone else to suffer for your choices.”  
           

“We just met. Why do you care?”

“I spent most of my life trying to convince my father and my sister that not all vampyres were like the one my mom was with.” He moved a piece of her hair back into place. “And I don’t have anyone anymore, so it’s a little selfish, to want a connection to someone.”

“It’s so much more complicated than that. This is the kind of bond that is usually between lovers.” She took a small step back as she started shaking.

“It doesn’t have to be. I just want to help you, what you want us to be, that’s up to you. Something tells me that I couldn’t force you to do anything even if I wanted to. My offer’s on the table Kaine.”

More moments of silence passed before Kaine nodded and took a deep breath through her nose. “Alright. Give me your wrist.”


	27. Terminal

“I thought the horny thing was a myth.” Sampson was using one of the dish rags to put pressure on the wrist wound.

Kaine wiped off her mouth with her sleeve. “Me mentioning that is usually a lovers’ thing didn’t do anything for you?”

His face went red as her eyes went to the bulge in his pant. “You look like you could use some serious rest. Why don’t you go take a nap while I take care of this?”

 “I need to be back at the HON before night fall… I have something to do.” She then started to leave the kitchen. “Thank you by the way.”

“It was my pleasure.” Despite being faced away from him, she knew he winked at her.

He woke her up much later. She blinked up at him. His blood had helped immensely, but there was still something upsetting her stomach and giving her quite a bit of pain. Kaine figured it was either Circe healing or she still needed more blood.

“You look a lot better than when we met earlier.” He said as he tapped his phone a few times. Sampson then held it out to her. She stared at it before putting her number.

“I feel better. Just shoot me a text so I can add your number.” Kaine got out of bed and rubbed her face. “No blood on my face, right?”

He shook his head as he took his phone back. “I’ll see you around Kaine.”

She shot him a smile before she walked out of the house.

When she returned to the House of Night, Siegfried was leaning against the statue of Nyx in the courtyard. It was still light out. Most fledglings avoided the daylight when they could. He looked up at her as she passed. “Kaine…”

 “Siegfried?” Kaine was a little confused seeing the boy. As Eos’s best friend and roommate, she at first assumed he was there to talk on behalf of the other warrior, but the thoughts flashing through his head told her otherwise.

“We need to talk.” He said with a nervous hand gesture that he made whenever a professor called on him in class or anyone showed interest in him.

“Why didn’t you say anything when I first brought them up? If you knew something, maybe…” The warrior-ess all but shouted at him, until her voice cracked at the end. He flinched at the anger. Mind reading sometimes made conversations go much quicker.

“I was scared you all might see me differently, if you knew why I knew about them…” Siegfried looked away and closed his eyes. Kaine’s eyes went wide as she saw the memories flash through his mind.

“You’re… half Noir? And your father tried to turn you?” Vampyre biology was complicated enough, but she didn’t know anything about Noir other than their aversion to natural light.

“It’s easier to turn someone that’s part Noir already and two Noir apparently just produce a corpse.” He sighed and looked at her again. “Before I knew about the Noir, I was terrified of vampyres, but now I’m glad have become one.”

“I can imagine. How exactly do they turn people?” Kaine knew it was question that Siegfried didn’t want her to ask, but she had to know. It seemed important, even if it made him get even paler.

“They lock you in the dark and feed you human flesh. They start slow, but…” He looked like he was going to throw up, and Kaine felt the same.

The two warriors stood in silence before Kaine glanced back at him. “There must’ve been something specific about them…”

“Circe isn’t getting better, is she?”

Kaine looked away quickly. She had been trying to ignore it, to convince herself that the pain and tiredness was all from her own lack of blood and sleep, but after blood didn’t settle it... Circe had been looking rough since she was released the infirmary, but she seemed to be recovering. “No, I don’t think she is. You know why.”

“She was bitten, wasn’t she?” Her silence was his answer. “Noir bites are deadly. If Anmarie hadn’t treated her, she’d probably already be dead… but there’s no cure, and it’s painful. I don’t know how long she has… but…”

Kaine closed the gap between them and grabbed the collar of his shirt, her body shaking as she was fighting off angry tears. “If you mentioned this sooner… if you fucking said something sooner…”

Siegfried looked away but didn’t say anything. She released him with annoyed sigh and turned away from him without another word, finally heading back to the dorm. She bypassed her own room and entered her priestess’s without knocking. Both girls smiled at her, greeting her with a joke about her a likely visit to Anmarie.

“What’s wrong?” Cleo asked as she noticed Kaine had not even batted an eye at their jokes.

“Can you give us a minute?” Kaine replied, not even looking at the other priestess as she stared at her own. Circe looked uncomfortable under her best friend’s gaze. Cleo got up and left without a word.

Kaine sat next to Circe and the two sat in silence for a while. Circe looked at her finally and the warrior took a deep breath.

“How’s the wound on your side?”

Circe didn’t get any less confused. “Kaine?”

“It was a bite wound right?” Kaine was shaking and Circe reached out to wipe a tear running down her best friend’s face. “A bite from one of those things… it’s deadly… y-you’re going to die.”

That’s when the priestess’s thoughts went berserk. Neither Circe’s words nor thoughts made any sense, but Kaine hugged Circe as the girl started to join her in crying. Eventually Circe calmed down enough to talk sense.

“I don’t want to die… isn’t there anything…”

Kaine shook her head, holding Circe’s face. “I’m sorry, I don’t know…”

“What about you? Wh-what’s going to happen to you?” Both girls knew the answer to the question, but facing the truth was difficult. Circe just gripped Kaine as hard as she could. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Kaine repeated it until the two finally stopped crying. When they finally finished their tears, Circe pulled away.

“How are we…”

“I’ll take care of telling the others. We’re going to make the most of this time…” Kaine wiped her eyes and stood up. “We’re in this together, until the end.”

Circe nodded and wiped her eyes.

Cleo was standing in the doorway of Tilla and Eden’s room when Kaine left Circe’s room. The priestess looked at her, concern obvious on her face. Kaine just smiled. “Can the three of you meet me in Anmarie’s office in about an hour?”

Nodding, Cleo looked into the room, where annoyed agreements were being made. Kaine looked away and walked into her own room. Kimi looked up from brushing Bootsee. “What’s up, ready to move?”

“Yeah, afterwards we need to stop by Anmarie’s office.”

Kimi hummed and stood up. “I’ll miss having you here.”

“I’ll miss you too, but I guess it’s time for me to grow up a little.” Kaine smiled at her soon to be ex-roommate. They worked in silence; Kaine had packed most of it the night before. It wasn’t like they had a lot of stuff at the House of Night, just a few little personal items and clothes.

“You seem a little out of it.” Kimi said as she set down the bag of clothes on Kaine’s new bed.

“Yeah.” And they unpacked in the same silence as they had packed in. When they finished, Kaine checked the time on her phone. “Let’s go.”

With a small nod, Kimi followed her friend to Anmarie’s office. Cleo, Tilla, and Eden were already waiting inside with the High Priestess. Kaine leaned on the door and avoided the gazes of all the women present.

“It’s odd of you to volunteer to come to my office, Kaine. It must be important.” Anmarie attempted to lighten the mood.

“Circe and I are going to die.”

Cleo sat down as Anmarie dropped her tea cup. Kimi grabbed Kaine’s shoulders while Tilla fell into Eden. Eden glared at Kaine as she helped her roommate right herself. “You’re joking.”

Kaine was still looking down as she shook her head. “I wish I was. The bite wound on her stomach… Noir bites cause death…”

“How long?” Cleo managed to say, her voice already wrecked from her sobs.

“We don’t know… days, weeks, months… Anmarie’s healing helped to slow it down…”

“How did you find this out?” Anmarie was trying to keep herself composed as she stood to comfort her fledglings.

“Siegfried.” The group looked shocked by the answer. “He’s half Noir and spent some time with him while his father was trying to make him full Noir…”

“If he has something earlier…” Kimi said as she wrapped her arms around Kaine, hugging her tightly.

“He didn’t. We can’t change the past.” Eden said stone faced as she ran her fingers through Tilla’s hair.

“Maybe we can find a cure…” Tilla mumbled from against Eden’s shoulder.

“I don’t know if we have that kind of time, but it doesn’t hurt to try…” Kaine moved a hand to Kimi’s back as she cried.

“Or to hope.” Anmarie looked at the warrior with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Cleo.


	28. Plan Awry

“Are you going to be okay?” Kimi held her arm once they were outside.

“No. But I just want to be alone for a while… I’ll see you guys tomorrow, okay?” Kaine brushed off her touch and forced a smile. Tilla hugged her tightly and move to follow Cleo, who had all but sprinted back to the dorm. Eden sent a few mournful thoughts to the mirror before following her roommate. Kimi had to have Kaine nod at her again before she followed the other fledglings.

With a deep sigh, Kaine looked at the moon. “Somehow, I don’t think this was in your plan.”

Xia was in her room, examining the furniture when she walked into it. She didn’t look up at the mortal. “I was hoping it would be Tilla that would die, to make your soul complete; you’re such a more usual piece.”

“Where have you been? I-I… you would’ve known, you could’ve told me…” Kaine took a few steps towards the goddess, her hands balled into fists.

“So could have Siegfried, weeks ago. He could’ve spoke up like he should have, but this is the hand you were dealt Kaine.” Xia finally turned to her and cupped her cheek. “You’re going to be responsible for killing the rest of that girl’s family.”

“If I had known…”

Shushing her, she gently pushed her to sit on the bed. “I never imagined this would be easy, the enemy I set you against is more powerful that you can imagine. The Noir are not the enemy here, they are the tool.”

“What are you talking about? You…” Kaine was standing again, her face red from anger.

“All of our paths have been chosen and it is almost impossible to stray from them. You, with an unfortunate end, completely left your path.”

“Do you mean destiny?”

“That is one name for it. Nyx’s children are all rather annoying, but none so more than the Fates.” Xia hummed as she looked at the painting on the wall with all of the year symbols. “Eden, I’ve been informed, knows of your true enemy. Nyx told her during her time in death.”

“Why didn’t… because I’m just a tool in your fight too – I shouldn’t know my purpose, I should just do my job.” Kaine turned away to look at herself in the giant mirror on her closet door. 

“Just remember that while you will die, you will not be gone. You will live on with your other half. Do not fret. I’m sure they will find a way to put you back in your proper place, they usually do.”

“Then why are…” She turned around and Xia was gone.

She laid in bed reflecting on her conversation with Xia. All she wanted to do was be angry but it wasn’t worth the energy. She was going to die, with Circe and Sampson. There was nothing she could do but make the best of the time she had left. In the morning she had to call Sampson; it was only fair to warn him that she had doomed him.

Without getting up, she groaned when she heard a knock on the door. It opened, apparently the visitor took that that meant ‘come on in’.

“Eos…” That made her sit up, though she looked away from him.

“Sieg told me…” He shut the door and walked over to the bed. “I-I… I wish there was something I could do. I promised that I’d protect you, because you’re too thick skulled to take care of yourself…”

Kaine couldn’t help but laugh, finally looking at him. “When did you make this promise?”

“It was more of a promise to myself, but I’m pretty sure I mentioned it…”

“I usually tune you out when you get mushy like that.” She smiled at him, patting the bed next to her. “You should really give up on me, the more time you spend with me the harder it’s going to be, when I…”

He sat next to her and pressed in for a kiss. She kissed him back, reaching up to pull him even closer, and made a whining noise when he pulled away. “I don’t think you want me to give up on you.”

“I imprinted with someone this morning. Before Siegfried told me…”

“Why didn’t you just…” Eos thumbs small circles on her cheek.

“Anmarie told me that dating you, she’d allow, but if I imprinted with you, she was going to string me up in the dungeon by my toes.” She blew a breath out of her nose and he chuckled. “Besides, now it won’t be you that’ll die…”

“Did you… have sex with…”

“No, I didn’t have sex with him. I wish I didn’t have to tell him that he was going to die, even though I warned him it was a distinct possibility before he offered his blood to me.”

“Then you shouldn’t feel guilty, he knew the risks.”

“I didn’t think it would be so soon, I thought I’d be able to keep him alive for a few years at least…”

He kissed her again. “Please, you don’t want to spend the rest of your life worrying, do you?”

When she pulled away, rolling her eyes. “How do you think I should be spending the rest of my life?”

“Some of it with your friends, cherishing that time, but the rest in bed with a very handsome warrior.” He smirked at her as he moved his hand down her arm.

“Oh? Handsome warrior? Perhaps I should call Siegfried then.”

“I think he’d have a panic attack if you so much as joked about having sex with him.” He rolled his eyes at her as he pulled away. She reached for him. “Change of heart, huh?”

“Never.” She smiled at him before pulling him in for a kiss. He grinned and pushed her back onto the bed ever so gently.


	29. Boys

Kaine groaned as she pulled away from Eos and buried her head under one of the many pillows on her new bed. Eos's alarm was making an awful noise from the pocket of his discarded jeans. He chuckled slightly as he rolled to get out of bed. After turning it off he crawled back in bed, kissing her shoulder and running his fingers down her back.

"Shouldn't you be going to class?" Her question was muffled from still having her face under the pillow.

"I'd rather spend the day with you." His smile was soft as he stated down at her. "Especially since..."

He stopped talking when she finally looked at him. Her eyes were sad and desperate and full of love. "Please don't stop living your life just because mine is going to end."

Eos shook his head and kisses her softly on the lips. "I want to spend as much time with you as I can before..."

Kaine rolled her eyes, sitting up. "Today might be the last day I live if you don't get to class. Anmarie already expressed that she was angry that you were missing classes because of me."

Eos laughed again, wrapping an arm around her waist as he rested his head against her hip. She hit the top of his head, glaring down at him. "I'm seroius! Get your ass out of this bed and go to class."

He huffed, kissing her hip and getting out of bed for a second time. Once he had on his clothes from the night before he turned to her, pouting ever so slightly.

"I'll be at training later, promise. There's someone I have to talk to." She got out of bed to peck his lips. "I'll see you later."

Eos closed his eyes as she kissed him, his lips turning up into a smile.  When she pulled away, he sighed. "I love you."

Once he was gone, Kaine sighed and got herself a shower. She stared at herself in the mirror for a while, her hair dripping water onto the tile floor, as she steeled herself up.

The phone rang and rang before it was finally answered.

"Kaine? It's so la- I guess it's pretty early for you, isn't it?" Sampson was talking fast, like he was nervous. "Did you need..."

"There's something I need to tell you. Can you stop by the HON, if you're free?" She was nervous too. Even with all the death she had seen in her few months as a vampire, it was hard to offer someone up death sentence.

There was a long pause on his end before he took a deep breath. "Yeah. I have some time. Is... Is everything okay?"

"No."

"I'll be right over."

"I'll meet you by the front gate."

Sampson didn't live far, but the minutes went on forever as she stood by the gate. A few vampyres walked in and out of the gate as she stood there. Townie vampyres coming to pray to Nyx or non-prof vamps going out into the town. All looked at her with fascination as they nodded in greeting. Kaine gave the first few pained smiles before she decided it was better to ignore them all together.

When Sampson did arrive, he approaches her with an awkward wave and an aphrensive "hello". She just nodded towards the gate to indicate that he should follow her. He followed her with the same wide eyes that she had had on her first visit to the campus.

He sat in one of the arm chairs in her room, silent, with his eyes training on Kaine as she paced, equally silent.

"Kaine?" He said it quietly at first, but gradually increasing his volume as he repeated her name until she looked at him. "What did you need to talk about?"

"I'm sorry," it came out closer to a sob than actual words as she said it. He looked at her, his confusion clearly written in his face. With a small whimper she sat down across from him. "Remember when I warned you, before I drank your blood?"

He blinked a few times before looking away, sad, angry, and still confused. "What happened?"

"If I had known sooner..." She grunted in frustation. "Sampson, I'm going to die."

Deflating, he reached across the gap and put a hand on her knee. "When? How?"

Kaine put her face in her hands and found herself crying.

"My priestess, she... She was bitten by something called a Noir and no-"

"A Noir?" His question wasn't curious, it was fearful, like he knew exactly what she was talking about.

Kaine moved her hands away from her face and blinked her year filled eyes at him. He grimaced and pulled his hand away as he stood up. "Damn it. Why...!" With a groan, he punched her wardrobe.

"So you're half-Noir too, huh? Your father that I killed, just your step-father." Kaine sighed as she verbalized the thoughts in his head.

"'Too'? You know another one?" He frowned and shook his head. "So your priestess, you're bonded with her like..."

"Her warrior." Kaine sighed and wiped her eyes. "She's going to die from the bite, I'm going to die because she's dying, and then you're..."

"Going to die too... What's done is done, we can change it..." He sighed and looked back at her. "I guess I need to get my life in order, huh? I don't have anyone else to take care of it for me."

"You're a highly valued consort of a very special Vampyre. The House of Night will take care of you." Kaine smiled at him. "I wish we could've had more time together."

"Thank you. I have a few friends I should say goodbye to. It'll be hard."

"Nothing is easy." She glanced at the grand clock above her door. Anmarie should have a break period between classes soon. She should talk to her, introduce Sampson to her. She was also getting hungry. "Do you want something to eat?"

He stared at her for a few seconds and then started to laugh. "You just told me that you, me, and your priestess are going to die and you're thinking about food?"

"I could eat you instead if you'd like," she replied without any indication that she was joking.

Sampson scoffed then sighed. "Lead the way to food I guess, then."

With a small smile she kissed his cheek and grabbed his hand. "Thank you, for being so understanding and... Everything."


	30. Punching Bag

Anmarie was polite as she greeted the human, shaking his hand and even smiling at him. Kaine couldn’t remember the last time Anmarie had smiled like that in front of her; it was probably that first day she arrived at the House of Night. She welcomed him and then apologized prematurely for the fact that he was dying.

“Yeah.” He laughed nervously as he glanced over at Kaine. “She warned me that I’d probably die, but I was hoping for a few years at least.”

“We will be losing too many good people because of those monsters.” Anmarie glanced at the clock. “You should go, I have to finish preparing for my next class. If you need anything Sampson, do not hesitate to ask.”

Sampson nodded and headed towards the door. Anmarie looked to Kaine who hadn’t moved from leaning against the doorframe since she had entered. “If there’s something you wanted to talk about-…”

“It’s okay, I’ll just…” Kaine sighed and pushed Sampson gently so she could leave first.

“Kaine, if you need support, you have many friends. They want to help you.”

“No one can help me Anmarie.” She walked out then with Sampson on her heels. As they walked, Sampson tried more than once to talk to her, but she just kept walking with her head down.

Once they reached the training building, Sampson sighed and pulled out his phone as he sat along the arena. With half interest he watched as Kaine wrapped her hands and started hitting the punching bag on the other side of the room.

When she stopped to take a break, leaning on the archery target, he glanced up at her from his phone. “Do you want to talk about it or?”

“You are so lucky that I have shitty ass archery skills.” She glared at him as she flexed her slightly bloody hands. And he then gave up trying to talk to her until Eos and Seigfried came in, talking quietly.

Sampson looked over at the two fledglings immediately, but Kaine continued at the bag like she didn’t even notice them come in. They both walked over to the human.

“You must be Kaine’s consort.” Eos crossed his arms, planning on glaring at him, but ending up giving his girlfriend a worried glance. “How long as she been doing that?”

“Almost an hour. Maybe one of you should go talk to her, she…” He then looked at Siegfried who was staring at Kaine and hiding slightly behind the larger teen. “Siegfried, is that you?”

Siegfried’s attention snapped to the human. “Sampson. This is… this can’t be just a coincidence.”

“You know each other?” Eos looked between the two.

“We’re half-brothers.” They said together.

“I’m going to try to get through to Kaine, you two go ahead and catch up.” Eos walked over to where Kaine was still beating the stuffing out of the punching bag. She acted like she didn’t even notice him, which for all Eos knew, she might not have.

He stepped between her and the bag, catching her next punch before she broke his nose. Kaine stared at her bloodied fist in his hand for a while before finally looking at his face. He brought up his other hand to cup her cheek.

“Talk to me. You didn’t seem this upset when I left this morning.” He smiled at her as she brought her hand down to her side.

“It’s nothing, I’m fine.” She turned away from him. “Just needed to let off some steam.”

He put out the hand she had blocked hers with, it was covered in blood. “Working yourself until you’re bleeding like this is ‘just letting off steam’?”

 “I didn’t ask for any of this Eos!” She snapped at him, making the two reunited brothers stop their conversation to look at her. “I didn’t want this!”

“Kaine…”

“Don’t. I was told that was I was supposed to do something great, I was given powerful gifts and told to defeat an unknown enemy, and now… I’m just going to die.” She pushed him, his few steps making him knock into the punching bag which finally fell off its hook. “And the only thing I’m going to have to show for it is my friends being sad! After everything the goddesses fucking told me, did to me, this is fucking it!”

He reached for her again. “But you shouldn’t just…”

“What does it matter what I do to myself at this point?” She shook her head and headed for the door. But she stopped and looked at Siegfried and Sampson before she walked out. “Maybe the two of you should put your heritage to good use and find a fucking cure for this.”

All three boys flinched as she slammed the door shut behind her.

A few minutes later Andus came in with a clipboard and looked around to find that the boys hadn’t moved from their spots and were all staring at him. “Uh… You guys okay?”

Eos sighed and walked towards the door. “You’re going to need to put up a new punching bag, and clean up a small pool of blood over there.” Then he left.

“If she wasn’t a vamp, I’d say Kaine was on her period.” Sampson sighed.

Siegfried left without a word.

Andus frowned at the human. “I don’t suppose you want a spear lesson would you?”

With a curt shake of the head, Sampson left with a ‘nice to meet you’, despite not being entirely sure where he was supposed to actually go. After finding the main gate, he decided to just head back to his house and call Kaine again tomorrow when she would hopefully be feeling better.


	31. Professor Macabre

Kaine woke up the next morning in a puddle of blood. She groaned, hating that an offhand comment that she was on her period happened to be true. As she rolled over and grabbed her phone, she heard a knock on her door.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and Eden stared at her. Kaine stared back at her with an awkward smile. “So, do you want to do me a favor?”

With a small nod, Eden turned to leave. “Get a shower and just pitch the sheets.”

When Eden returned, Kaine was still in the shower. Eden walked into the bathroom, setting down the bag from the store. “Since you’re going to die soon, I just got you small packs.”

“Thank you.” Kaine poked her head out of her shower. “And go fuck yourself.”

“So, Eos was complaining about you last night, so what exactly are you planning?”

“Planning?” There was a loud crash as all of her soaps fell to the shower floor. “What are you talking about?”

Despite the fact that Kaine couldn’t see her since she hid back in the shower, she knew Eden was glaring at the shower curtain with her arms crossed.

“I just… I haven’t actually made any plans yet.” Sighing, she leaned against the wall. “I want to do _something,_ something big before I…”

“Have you told your parents yet?”

Kaine hadn’t told them anything. Occasionally she got a text from her mom, or her brother tagged her in a facebook post, but she hadn’t told her family anything about what was happening in her new life.

“Have you told yours?”

Eden’s silence told Kaine that she hadn’t talked to her parents either. Eden had even already died. Neither of them said anything until Eden sighed too.

“Just, don’t do anything stupid, without letting people help you. Whatever you’re going to do, take Eos at least. Take someone with you.”

“I can’t make any promises.”

“Try.” Then Kaine heard her friend leave.

 

A few hours later she walked into the dining hall, smiling when she saw all her friends sitting at the usual table. After grabbing herself the first meal of the day, she sat down between Tilla and Eos. Both of them stared at her for a few seconds before going back to trying to explain something from history to Cleo. Eden smiled at her, tapping her nose slightly. Kaine scowled at her.

“Are you feeling better?” Siegfried stared at her.

“Eh, not really. Apparently Mirror vamps are fertile.” She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

Eos’s gaze snapped back to her, worriedly.

“Calm down, you’re still infertile and even if you weren’t, I’m probably going to die before I’d even realize that I’m pregnant.”

“So… You’re actually on your period?” Siegfried was still staring at her, obviously remembering the comment he had made the day before.

All the girls at the table groaned and turned glares his way. He put his hands up in surrender and Eos patted his back in comfort.

As lunch was coming to an end, Eos made a point to kiss Kaine for an unnecessarily long time before heading to class. Circe stood there waiting from him to finish so she could talk to her warrior.

“We should…” Circe started with a sad smile.

Kaine nodded, pulling the other girl into a hug. “Definitely. Why don’t you come by my new room after class?”

Once her friends had all left, she headed towards the greenhouses. The botany professor smiled up at her when she walked in. “I thought you’d decide to come here. You want to help me out?”

Kaine couldn’t help but smile. With her sort of affinity with Earth, botany was a class that had come easy from her starting at the House of Night. It was taught by Professor Eleanor, her favorite professor and new neighbor. Most of the class was other third formers, but most of the students were visibly uncomfortable around her since she Changed, which was one of the reasons she hide in the dorms so much. Some of the students she knew and after the beginning lecture she went over and talked to them for a while until someone was crying.

She looked over and saw a girl who had only been Marked a few days prior with an empty pot. There had definitely been a plant in it at one time but it was so dead there was almost no trace. The professor was talking about her having to start over, but Kaine walked over at the remnants of the stalk.

“What kind of plant was it?”

“Sunflower…” The girl said through her sobs, looking at Kaine strangely. The two had never met before but she had seen Serenity give her a tour around campus through her window.

“Let’s see if we can save it so you don’t have to start completely over?”

Eleanor looked at Kaine curiously as she put a hand on the plant, closing her eyes. She moved her lips without actually making noise, calling to Earth. Slowing the stalk became unshriviled and grew slightly, a small leave uncurling off the side. The whole class was watching, their eyes wide as they ‘awed’.

When Kaine opened her eyes, she smiled at the girl. “There, now hopefully you can keep it alive better this time.”

After realizing that Kaine had spoken, the girl nodded and grabbed the pot, holding it close to her chest. “Thank you Professor.”

Kaine’s face fell when she heard that. She glanced up at Eleanor, who was smiling at her softly. “I have to go.”

Once she was out of view of the greenhouse, she sprinted to the spot that she went to with Eos when she was new to mind reading, crying against the vine covered wall.


	32. Holding Back Death

Circe was standing in front of the professor’s dorm when Kaine arrived. The vampyre took a deep breath as approached her friend. The blonde turned and the smile she was wearing fell off her face as she looked at Kaine.

“Were you crying?” Circe reached her full arm towards the warrior. Kaine took it before it connected with her face.

“I’m okay. Come on, let’s go up to my room.” Kaine smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently to ensure that Circe was assured of it.

When Kaine opened the door, Sampson was lounging on her bed, playing with his phone. Circe gave her a sideways glance. Kaine cleared her throat until he jumped and dropped his phone on his face.

“Circe, this is my consort, Sampson. Sampson, this is my priestess, Circe.” Kaine rolled her eyes went into the bathroom.

Sampson got off the bed as grimaced slightly. “I guess I probably should have told her I was coming over. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. You seem like you want to look out for her, being willing to die to give her your blood.” Circe glanced at the bathroom door.

He shrugged and followed her gaze. “She seemed like she needed someone new, and it was better than letting her continually kill a bunch of strangers.”

“I can hear you, you know.” Kaine said as she came out of the bathroom, drying her hands on her pants. “I have super hearing, and can read minds.”

“You could not eavesdrop?” Circe smiled at her friend. “I was hoping that we could just hang out, us girls?”

Kaine gave Sampson a smug grin. Sampson shrugged again. “Just point me to Siegfried’s dorm and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Siegfried’s room?” Circe asked as she sat on Kaine’s bed once Sampson was gone.

“It’s a really long story. I honestly think we’re going to die before I’d finish telling it.” Kaine smiled as she pulled open one of her drawers to see what she had thrown in it. “I have a TV, nail polish, and a deck of cards. Lady’s choice.”

Circe couldn’t help but laugh before reaching for the remote from end table.

“So why were you crying?” Circe asked after the movie had ended and while Kaine was painting the nails on the hand the priestess had left.

“It’s stupid.” Kaine said with a huff. “I was helping Professor Eleanor with her botany class… and one of the students called me ‘professor’.”

“I see.” The frown on the fledgling’s face was telling. “I’m really sorry… if…”

“I thought we promised we weren’t going to put blame on anyone, and we weren’t going to dwell on it.” Kaine looked at her seriously. “We’re going to enjoy what time we have left.”

“I haven’t told my mom yet.”

That was a surprise. Circe and her mom were still very close, their entire family really. They had been really supportive the whole way through the process. “What is there to say? The Mark means that there’s always that chance. Even human teenagers…”

“Yeah, I guess… I just feel like… like I should tell them beforehand… or something.” Circe shook her head and smiled. “But… I’ve been seeing Anmarie and she’s been treating the wound, keeping whatever from spreading, trying to give us a little more time.”

Kaine closed her eyes and took a breath through her nose.

“Kaine? I-…”

“No, it’s fine. If it’s what you want, then do it. But don’t do it just for me… I-… I’ve come to terms with it.”

Circe wrapped her arm around Kaine, pulling her in tight. “You don’t have to put on a brave face for me.”

“I have to put on a brave face for _me_.” Kaine hugged Circe back. “Now I’m going to have to redo your nails.”

Circe couldn’t help but laugh so hard that she was tearing up. When she finally pulled out of the hug, they were both smiling. “Kaine, I love you, you idiot.”

“Yeah, I know. But what else are best friends for?” Kaine messed up her hair with a devious grin.

 

“How many lovers do you have exactly?” Sampson asked when he came back not too long after Circe had left to work on some homework.

Kaine glared at him as she finished cleaning up the popcorn her and Circe had thrown at each other during the end credits. “You’re still here?”

“Unless you can undo this thing without killing me, you’re stuck with me kiddo. I’m now your new gay boyfriend.” Sampson threw himself onto the bed with a smile.

“You’re gay? I totally didn’t notice.” Kaine shrugged as she rolled him slightly to get popcorn from under him. “Does make sense, why else wouldn’t you want to have sex with me?”

“Maybe because you’re underage?”

“Not a good enough reason.” She grinned at him. “What did you do with Siegfried anyway?”

“Oh, nothing too important. We talked to a few of your professors, tried to see if maybe we could figure out a cure for that dying thing that Circe, you, and I have going on. It sounds promising.”

Kaine stopped and looked at him, her emotions conflicted as she stared at him silently.

“Don’t give me that look. Even if we can’t figure it out in time to save us, other vampires and humans are going to get bitten by these things. It’ll help whoever continues this fight after you.”

“Okay.” Kaine said simply after several minutes of cleaning in silence. She looked up at him and nodded. “Okay.”

Sampson grinned at her. “I’m spending the night by the way.” Before she could say anything else, he looked at her seriously. “Do you know if professor Jason is taken? He’s yummy.”

“He’s mated to our horse master, professor Alexander.”

“Well, as least I’m not losing out because he’s straight.”

Rolling her eyes at him, she laughed. “Come on, let’s go grab dinner. Maybe one of the gay male professors is single.”


	33. Family Day

Things continued as usual for the next few weeks. It was odd, to Kaine at least. They were the most normal weeks she’d had seen being Marked. She still attended warrior training, and a sixth former sociology class. She helped to teach the botany classes, spending a lot of her free time in the greenhouses.

The campus had finally gotten used to Eden, no longer scampering off when she entered a room. She had gotten more used to herself too. Still complaining about needing blood, she wouldn’t turn it down. There were fewer and fewer incidents of her using her enhanced gifts of persuasions on accident.

Circe looked tired, and half the time she needed Cleo or Tilla to all but carry her around campus. But she was happy. She laughed at every joke that Kaine made at Eden’s expense and she squealed with joy and Cleo and Siegfried announced their budding romantic relationship. Kimi, Tilla, and Cleo acted as if everything was as normal, that Kaine and Circe weren’t dying.

Sampson had inserted himself into the group, into the vampyre society. Him and Siegfried acted like they had never been separated, like they had been raised as brothers their entire lives. Tilla and Eden loved mocking him, affectionately calling him ‘Sammy’. Eos had even started liking him, even if he wouldn’t admit it to his girlfriend.

It was a Tuesday when they all walked into the cafeteria and there were posters and banners that announced ‘Family Day’. Some federal holiday coming up, which is probably why it was happening. Kaine turned her head and found another announcing the date for a dance, the night after. She felt a strange sense of urgency looking at the colorful poster that one of the human staff was hanging up.

Eos touched her arm and she jumped. He smiled at her, obviously about to ask her to the dance. She just smiled. “I forgot that I have an appointment with Anmarie this morning, I’ll see you guys at lunch.”

She walked up stairs to the professors’ cafeteria, looking around for Anmarie. A few of the professors greeted her as she walked through. It was different than when Tilla described walking through, trying to get help on a homework question.

“Kaine, I didn’t realize that we had an appointment.” Anmarie smiled at her, motioning for her to sit in the empty seat across from her. Andus smiled at her as professor Connor, the only black professor on the staff, stared at her.

“Are you sure holding a dance is such a good idea? I mean…” Kaine frowned as she sat down.

“It is a tradition, but it also seems like an appropriate time. With everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen, do you not think that this school deserves that fun?” Anmarie tilted her head.

“No, it’s just… It’s on the new moon.”

“I understand your concern. The school will be well guarded, we did not build the wall just for the aesthetic. Kaine, there is nothing for you to worry about, at least not in concern with the dance.” Anmarie smiled, putting her hand on top of Kaine’s across the table. “This is just as much for you as it is for everyone else. Please, hug your parents, dance with Eos and Circe. It may be your last chance.”

Kaine closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

 

It was the day. Kaine was pacing around Tilla and Eden’s room, the two of them were watching her.

“You’re making me dizzy.” Eden finally said, petting her cat causually.

Kaine paused, looking at the undead girl before flopping onto Tilla’s bed, barely missing the fox that was laying on the pillow. “The fuck am I going to tell my parents?”

“They’re not exactly going to be surprised.” Eden huffed, releasing Baghera to go comfort Dagda, who had run into the bathroom.

“Nah, they’re definitely going to be surprised that she made it this long.” Tilla grinned, getting one of her own pillows thrown at her.

“Are your parents coming?” Kaine glanced over at the two of them. Tilla nodded.

“Dad is. You know Mom. I’m an abomination as it was, but now…” Eden shrugged.

“I don’t think Kimi’s mom is coming.” Kaine sighed, covering her face. “Maybe she can talk to my parents instead. I’ll just stay here.”

“You can share, but you have to talk to your parents.” They both said together, crossing their arms. Kaine groaned in response. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and the other three were standing outside.

Kaine’s parents weren’t there yet, her mother’s fault most likely. She looked around and waved at Circe’s mom and two sisters. Eden sat next to Tilla’s parents, her own father would be even later than Kaine’s parents. Cleo waved awkwardly at her grandparents. Siegfried was getting a bone breaking hug from what looked like a mother.

“Kaine!” Eos’ voice carried to her ears and she looked over to see him standing with his parents. He was waving them over and she rolled her eyes as she walked over.

“So, you’re the Kaine that he keeps talking about.” His mother said with a smile.

Kaine blushed, hitting Eos lightly. “That would be me. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Are your parents here yet?”

“No, they’re running a little late.” She looked around again. Kimi was being hugged my Circe’s mom and Kaine couldn’t help but smile. “I haven’t talked to them in a while so…”

“Eos doesn’t call as often as we would like, but we understand. You’re all so busy here, and it’s so different here.”

“It really is. I know most of us don’t put too much effort into keeping in touch with our families.” Kaine shrugged. Eos frowned at her, but smiled at his mom. “What exactly does Eos say about me?”

“All sorts of things. He’s absolutely smitten.” His dad said, grinning at his son, whose face turned bright red. Kaine looked at Eos, who then hid his face behind his hands.

Circe was calling for her now, and she turned to find all her friends at a round table with all their parents. She smiled and excused herself from Eos and his parents. Circe’s mom hugged her, tightly. Tilla’s mom greeted her with her human name, getting corrected by both Tilla and Eden. Kaine rolled her eyes and just sat down happily.

Her parents came in, greeting her friends and their parents before finally hugging their daughter. When her mom pulled back, she frowned. Kaine looked around and sighed. “Come on, there’s a lot I need to tell you. Let’s go outside.

Her mom wouldn’t shut up as they walked, talking about her brother and her grandmother. Her dad would occasionally correct her, but was smiling as they walked around in the semidark.

“Mom, please.” She was very serious, causing both of her parents to pause. When she finished the abridged version, her mom was hugging her and crying. Her dad was silent, his eyes closed. There wasn’t much else to say to them. She was technically an adult vampyre, her parents were so separated from her world that they didn’t understand, couldn’t understand.

“You guys should go… I’m sorry.” Kaine didn’t look at her parents, her eyes on the small sliver of moon in the sky. “I’m so sorry.”

“We’re sorry too kiddo. We love you.” Her dad hugged her, which never happened. She was too much shock to do anything but watch him drag her mother away seconds later.

Her parents had disappeared and she was too emotional to rejoin her friends and their families in the cafeteria. She leaned against one of the trees and wiped at her eyes, trying to stop herself from starting to cry.

“It’s always rough, telling the parents.” Xia’s voice was close. Kaine turned to find that the Goddess was leaning on the tree too, almost just out of her sightline.

“Go fuck yourself.” Kaine pushed off the tree, starting to walk away.

Xia was predictably following her. “Maybe, but I think I’d rather fuck you.”

“Why are you so creepy?”

“Who knows?”

“What do you want?”

“Tomorrow is the new moon.” Kaine didn’t respond; she knew that and she could predict what Xia wanted. “Seems like as good time as any to make a preemptive strike against the Noir, don’t you?”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Not very creative today I see.” Xia pushed her against another tree, her fangs sinking into Kaine’s neck. Kaine whimpered in pain as she heard someone calling her name. Xia’s fangs were ripping out of her neck, and she grunted at the pain.

“Stay away from Kaine.” Eos’ voice, brash and arrogant in the face of a goddess.

Xia laughed, turning to look at Kaine who was holding her neck. “It wasn’t a suggestion Kaine. Enjoy your little dance tomorrow.”

Eos took a few steps after the goddess when she started walking away, but Kaine grabbed his hand. He looked at her sadly. “You okay?”

“Are you crazy?” Kaine took a step away from the tree, but waivered slightly. She was lightheaded from the blood loss, but Eos easily caught and supported her. “You were going to get into a fist fight with a Goddess?”

“Goddess… that was your…” Eos frowned, moving Kaine’s hand slightly to see the wound. “We need to get you back to your room. You need blood.”

Sampson started unbuttoning his shirt when they walked in. “Fucking, you really are prone to danger, aren’t you Kaine?”

“Shut up and give me your blood.” Kaine pushed the human onto the bed, straddling him before latching her mouth over the vein in his neck. When she finished, she got off of him. “Now beat it.”

“You’re so ungrateful.” Sampson laughed. He grabbed his coat, winking at Eos before he left.

Kaine pulled Eos close, pressing their lips together. Eos made a face. “Why do you like his blood so much? It’s pretty gross.”

“You think all blood is gross right now.” Kaine grinned at him before kissing him again.


	34. Dance Until You Die Part 1

“She’s going to meet us there, right?” Tilla said as she helped Circe zip up her dress. Cleo and Cleo were fighting over the mirror so they could do their makeup.

“That’s what she said, but then again, Kaine says a lot of things.” Eden shrugged. Tilla’s eyes went to the pendent hanging around her roommate’s neck. A silver Nyx holding an onyx crescent.

“Eos will undoubtedly go and pick her up.” Kimi cooed, having lost the fight for the mirror.

“She might stab him.” Eden  looked away from her roommate, who had decided not to ask about the new necklace.

There was a knock on the door, Kimi went to crack it open to see who it was. Siegfried waved at her sheepishly. “Cleo, your new boyfriend is here.”

 

Sampson spun Kaine with a bright smile when she came out of the bathroom. She couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“You look lovely. Like a fairy tale villain.” He kissed her hand and released her.

“Thank you. That suit makes you look very gay, do you have any circulation in your legs?” She rolled her eyes at him.

“I’ll have you know that this look is in.” He sat on the bed, watching her as she opened one of her drawers, the drawer she kept her battle clothes in. “Planning on doing some fighting on the dance floor?”

“After.” Kaine replied absently, pulling out a leather breastplate.

“Kaine…” He stood back up, walking towards her.

“I’m going in alone, you can’t stop me. But, I want you to tell the others after I’ve left.” She turned towards him, and he nodded. “I don’t think I can do this alone, but I’ll be able to get a better idea of what we’re up against alone. I can let everyone know through you and Circe.”

“Okay, just don’t get yourself killed before we get there.” Sampson pulled her into a hug. “Speaking of which… I’ve been thinking about something.”

She looked up at him, silently telling him to continue.

“If you break the imprint, I’ll die, but what if _I_ break the imprint?”

“I-I… it might work. You’re going to die anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to try, right?” She smiled at him. “I’d rest easier knowing you didn’t have to die too. And I guess this means things are going well with Professor Charles?”

His face went red and he pulled out of hug. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I know where you went last night after I drank your blood.” Crossing her arms, she gave him a devious grin. “I’m happy for you.”

There was a knock on the door, and Kaine rolled her eyes. “I told him to meet us there.”

Eos was wearing a full penguin tuxedo and it made Kaine smile, pulling him to kiss his lips. “You look ridiculous.”

“And you look beautiful.” He knocked their foreheads together with a smile.

“You know Eos, I thought we had agreed on me escorting her.” Sampson glared at the fledgling, but smiled when he finally looked over. “It’s alright, I suppose you can take her.”

“Thank you Sampson.”

 

The three had just missed announcements when they walked in, heading for the others who were guarding the punch bowl. There was a slow song playing and a few couples had taken the dance floor.

Kaine let go of Eos’s arm, holding out a hand to Circe as she bowed. “My priestess, may I have your first dance?”

Circe laughed, taking Kaine’s hand and was quickly pulled onto the dancefloor. Eos sighed, leaning against the table. “Which bowl has the punch without blood?”

Tilla took the cup Eden was gripping tightly out of her hands, pulling her onto the dancefloor. Cleo then grabbed Siegfried who made a small sound of distress.

“So, Eos, did she punch you when you picked her up?” Kimi asked with a grin as she handed him a cup.

“No, but she probably wanted to.” Eos shrugged, taking the cup. “It’s going to be so damn hard when they’re gone.”

Kimi hummed in agreement. “I wonder if it would’ve been better, if we didn’t know.”

Hours passed, the dancing changed to typical teenager dancing. Sex with clothes on, Tilla and Kimi awkwardly dancing with Sampson. Another round of slow songs, and Eden and Sampson were sitting at a table, both watching Kaine and Eos.

“What is she planning?” Eden said without looking over at the human, who jumped slightly at the accusation. He just looked away and she stood up, walking towards the dancing couple. Sampson called for her, but it was too late. Her hand had made contact with Eos’ face, letting out a deafening sound that made everyone within earshot turn their attention to the three.

Kaine looked at Eos’ cheek, which was rapidly turning red, then at Eden. She was confused.

Eden had no idea what she was doing, but tears came to her eyes. She had fucked up and now she had to try to make it lighthearted. “Eos, you bastard! You’re stealing my daughter and you didn’t even ask for permission.”

Kaine took a deep breath through her nose as Eos let out a bark of laughter. Of course Kaine knew the real reason.

Retreating, Eden watched them start dancing again. Sampson intercepted her, smiling at her. “Nice going there. Is that a hint of jealousy I detected in that slap?”

Eden’s eyes immediately went to Tilla where she was talking to the leader of the Dark Daughters.

Once the song ended, Eos walked over to the two of them, smiling. Sampson stood up. “I think I’m going to head back to the room. I’ve had enough of watching teenagers make fools of themselves for one night.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what came over me.” Eden smiled at Eos, even if she meant neither the smile or the statement.

“It’s okay. Maybe a dance to make up for it? Or maybe you need to dance with Kaine.” He looked back, not finding her. He scanned the crowd: she was gone.


	35. Dance Until You Die Part 2

Kaine was gone by the time Sampson got to the room. He picked up the dress, discarded haphazardly onto the ground. Anmarie was in her room, she had spoken to him briefly before she had left the dance.

She looked up from her paperwork when the human walked in. “Sampson. You get tired of dancing?”

“It’s Kaine.” Sampson took a deep breath. “She went to scout out the Noir hideout, alone.”

“What?” Anmarie dropped her pen. “Why? Is she…”

“Xia told her to. She’s not going to get out without help.”

“Go meet Andus in the warriors’ gym. He should be briefing the next guard rotation.” Anmarie stood up, smoothing down her dress. “I’m going to gather the fledglings that will want to help.”

“Kaine isn’t going to like you…”

“She is the one putting me in this position. There aren’t enough warriors on the campus currently to go in without her friends. Her friends know the most about the enemy.”

Sampson nodded, turning to go towards the gyms.

Eden looked up when she felt the priestess enter the room. She saw that the woman looked like she was dreading something. Eos looked at her. “What?”

“Your girlfriend just did something very stupid. Go talk to Anmarie. I’m going to gather the others.” Eden rolled her eyes at him, looking at where everyone else was sitting at a table, looking like they were having the time of their life.

They all stopped when she walked over. “Kaine needs our help.”

Everyone nodded, standing up. No one said anything, not asking any questions. Anmarie blinked at the group of teenagers when she finally made her way over. “You may want to change before meeting in the warriors’ gym.”

It was several minutes before everyone was finally gathered in the gym. Sampson was standing with Anmarie and Andus, looking over the group of teenagers sitting anxiously in front the bulky warriors.

After Anmarie and Andus finished explaining why they had to go to fight, Sampson gave some information on the Noir, making some of the warriors cringe. Siegfried raised his hand when Andus started talking again.

“I have an idea, of how to do this. Kaine and Eden told me about what the hideout looks like here…”

When they were finally ready to leave, Eden and Circe watched the others getting ready for battle. They were being left behind, not having any fighting abilities.

Circe grabbed Eos’ hand, frowning at him. “Bring her home, please?” He pulled her into a hug before leaving without a word. Tilla waved at both of them after checking her extra ammo. Cleo had thrown a few fireballs around for practice, and didn’t look at either of her friends before walking out, hand in hand with Siegfried.

When even the High Priestess had left the room, leaving to fight monsters and save Kaine, Eden felt uneasy. Some of them weren’t going to come back.

“I wish…” Circe’s eyes were filled with tears. “I wish she cared more about her life.”

Eden put her hand on her shoulder, still looking at the door. She was pulled out of her thoughts by Baghera brushing against her legs. Kicking him way gently, she swore. “Now’s not really the time boy.”

“He’s only trying to…” Circe paused when Eden started looking at her strangely.

“Come with me.” Eden grabbed the priestess’ hand, dragging her away. Circe was apprehensive to follow her into the dirt basement of the temple. There was leaking pipe that fed a large, clear puddle.

“Call water.” With a confused nod, Circe did as she was told. “While I was dead, Nyx did a scrying spell, for me to see Tilla and Kaine. We’re going to make sure that they’re all okay. Repeat after me.”

Tilla came into view in the puddle. They were all waiting outside, going over positions again. Cleo was standing next to her, fire around her hands. Circe reached for them, but Eden took her wrist, keeping her from disrupting the connection.

There was a small amount of resistance as they all fought their way to Kaine. Sampson was leading their way through the tunnels, getting information constantly from the warrior-ess. Circe looked more and more distressed as they watched their friends fight.

“You okay?” Eden spared a glance at her companion.

“Something… Kaine, she’s not… they need to hurry.” Circe held her stomach with grimace.

When they finally got to Kaine, she was worse for the ware, fighting off three Noir. There were more littering the ground around her. Her clothes were ripped up, bloody. She barely acknowledged the others coming in, the lights flickering off and on.

As the group filtered in, more Noir followed them in, covering the entrance. Eos made his way to Kaine, looking her over with a frown.

“Less worrying more fighting.” Eden and Circe couldn’t hear it, but they could read her lips easily.

As the fighting went on, the pool of water focused on Tilla and Kaine, fighting back to back. They looked at each other, something odd happening in the vision the water was giving them. Between the two girls was an oddly ornate mirror, reflecting on both sides. It didn’t show reality. On the side Kaine was on, the reflection showed Tilla swinging the sword at a snarling Noir. On Tilla’s side, Kaine aggressively pulled the trigger to shot one right between the eyes.

Their friends were still standing, but several of the other warriors had fallen. Circe and Eden didn’t know it, but they hadn’t taken a breath in an unhealthy amount of time.

Finally, the fight was coming to an end. Kaine stopped as someone came into the room, a Noir, larger and even more disgusting than the rest. Siegfried and Sampson both tense too, their eyes on the male.

Everyone else kept fighting with notice. Eos and Tilla were now fighting side by side. He pushed her aside as she was reloading her pistol, taking a bite in the arm. Circe brought her hand up to cover her eyes. With a grunt of pain, he kept fighting as if he wasn’t injured at all.

The new Noir, was stalking the High Priestess. She had been separated from Andus in the fighting, but had previously holding her own against the hoard. Siegfried and Sampson were trying to get through the fight to get to him before he got to her.

They were too late, the Noir picked up a discarded sword and ran it straight through Anmare’s chest. She made a small surprised sound before falling onto the ground. All the vampyres were yelling as she fell, Andus falling on the opposite side of the space.

“Father.” Siegfried and Sampson both said, both of them shaking. Kaine had made it to them too, kneeling next to the High Priestess. The Noir smiled down at Kaine before turning to the two boys. Before he could open his mouth, Siegfried handed Sampson an arrow he had picked up from the floor. Sampson stabbed the man in the eye with it, hard enough for him to fall down, dead.

The rest of the Noir retreated then, leaving the vampyres alone. They all looked around, taking stock of their dead. Kaine didn’t look at any of her friends, silently picking up Anmarie.

Two of the warriors had to pick up Andus’ body. The others grabbed as many as they could, some of them taking more than one warrior.

The connection cut out, the puddle went back to rippling from the leaking pipe. Circe leaned into Eden, crying into her shoulder. Eden wrapped her arms around her friend. They should get to the gate to greet their returning heroes.


	36. Gone, Gone, and Gone

It had been five days since they had rescued Kaine and she hadn’t said a single word to anyone. She just sat in the infirmary, holding Eos’s hand. He had collapsed the next day had hasn’t wakened up. Without an experienced High Priestess or someone to share the infection with, the wound from the Noir was killing him quickly.

Eden, Tilla, or Circe had been taking turns watching her watch him, but she hadn’t even looked up at any of them once. Circe knew that without Anmarie, she’d be like Eos soon and there was nothing they could do about it.

Even with Professor Andromeda, the chemistry teacher and Eleanor’s mate, taking over as temporary High Priestess, it was obvious that the entire school was different. Classes hadn’t happened since they had returned, and with the rest of the Vampyre world in chaos, it was unclear if they would ever be able to get their school back to normal. Professors and students were all wearing lighter colors than usual, to mark a difference, to mark their mourning.

Siegfried and Sampson were different. They had been the ones that had decided the battle, killing the leader of the Baltimore Noir, their own father. It marked them to others as great heroes, but they were understandably conflicted. Siegfried had also had a difficult time sleeping, his room empty with Eos’ things still scattered about. Sampson had imprinted with some else, but he still hovered over Kaine, wishing there was anything he could do.

Eden had just brought Kaine food, which she knew her friend wouldn’t touch. She was looking over Eos, since Kaine wasn’t going to bother with her. Whatever shield that was around him was starting to crack, Eden could feel it, but it wasn’t gone yet. A shimmering of a connection to Kaine was starting to form and Eden knew there were others, even if she couldn’t see them.

“He loves you, he probably doesn’t want you sitting here, wasting what time you have left.” Eden said on her way out, not expecting an answer.

“Loved. He loved me.” Kaine looked up at her, tears welling in her eyes but not falling. “I made him past tense, he’s past tense.”

“Circe’s bringing you dinner. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Eden looked away, feeling Kaine’s pain as if it was her own.

When Eden returned to the infirmary the next day, Kaine was standing, looking out the window. Eden said her name a few times, asked if she was okay, but didn’t get a response. She looked at Eos, he looked worse than any of the dead they had brought home. Without another word, she took his hand and sat in the chair Kaine had been keeping warm for days.

The two stayed like that for hours, not talking and not looking at each other. Eden hated Eos, but Kaine loved him and she wanted to be there for her, for her friend. The cracks in Eos’ shield were growing and Eden couldn’t help but wonder what final thoughts Kaine could finally read from him. She hoped they were happy, so Kaine would know that he didn’t die in pain.

Finally the shield fell away, and Eden saw all of Eos’ connections. His and Kaine’s bond of love. A strong bond between Siegfried and him, dear friends. Even a bond between him and her, as people connected to Xia’s plan but not under her influence.

The connections were gone as quickly as they were there. The very faint heartbeat was gone. Eden heard Kaine leave, without a word or even a sob. Before she left to find the new high priestess, she said a quick prayer to Nyx over his body.

Kimi walked into Kaine’s room the next day, trying to find her to tell her than Circe had collapsed and has been in and out of consciousness, but she wasn’t there. She sat on the bed, looking around. Most of the things she had helped Kaine unpack only a few weeks before were back in boxes. Kaine already knew, but Kimi was hoping to get to talk to her best friend as least one last time.

Tilla was the one that had found Kaine. She was sitting the spot that her and Eos used to go to escape. “So, I know you already know, but… I figured you might want to talk about it, or get a head start to the infirmary yourself?”

“I’m dying Tilla. I deserve to die, but no one else… everyone died because of me…” Kaine pulled her knees closer to her chest. “Circe, Eos, Anmarie and Andus, Emma…”

“This isn’t your fault Kaine. All of those deaths were Xia.” Tilla sat next to her. “You’re not going to be this much of a downer when we merge our souls or whatever, are you?”

Kaine gave her friend a side-eyes glare. “You seriously think that’s a good idea?”

“It wouldn’t be the worst idea any of us have had lately.” Tilla grinned at her and Kaine just rolled her eyes. “But seriously, what’s actually going to happen, to me specifically, when you die?”

“I don’t know what’s going to happen when we merge, or whatever, but I know that you’ll be bound to Xia like I was, you’ll have to do what she says.”

“Better someone that knows what’s happening. I don’t know what I do if she went and found some other idiot to replace you, someone that has no idea what they’re getting into.”

Kaine didn’t say anything else, looking away from her other half. Tilla sighed, leaving her alone to grieve.

Eden went looking for her. Circe looked exactly like Eos did in the hours before he died. Kaine was going to die too, but Eden wanted them to all be together. Kaine just wanted to be alone.

Tilla had disappeared when the high priestess confirmed that Circe was only hours from death. She didn’t say anything, just disappeared.

The undead fledgling was more than ready to find new friends that didn’t run off when bad shit was about to happen.

When Eden found her, Kaine was walking up the stairs of the professors’ dorms. She turned when she heard Eden calling for her, out of breath from running around the campus.

“It’s okay Eden, I’m ready.”

“Fuck you! What am I supposed to do?” Eden started doing stairs to catch up to her. “Nyx told me to help you, or protect you or something. What am I supposed to do?”

Kaine turned away, waiting until Eden made her way to her before speaking. “You can’t. You can’t help me anymore. Help Tilla, she’s going to need you.”

Eden felt something snap, and it was painful. A bond between her and Kaine was broken. Not the one given to her by fate, but the one the two had forged through the years, the one that Nyx had set. Eden was released from her duty as protector, confidant, and sidekick.

She turned as she started running again, back towards the dorms. There wasn’t anywhere else she could think of for Tilla to be.

As she was running she felt something, the bond that had just broken, reattaching somewhere else. A bond was getting stronger.

Other bonds were breaking. Kaine and Circe were dying. Were dead. Tears started falling down the red fledgling’s face as she rushed to help her roommate.


	37. Rebound

When Eden made it to her room, Tilla was nowhere to be seen, but she could sense she was close. She jiggled the knob to the bathroom. It was locked, of course. Swearing, she ran into the room they shared the bathroom with, getting bitched out by the pair that lived in that room, and found the bathroom was locked from that side as well.

With a groan and a few more choice words, she made her way up to the roof and looked down. The bathroom window was open, at least she was pretty sure that was her and Tilla’s bathroom, if it wasn’t things were going to get awkward.

As soon as she made sure Tilla was okay, she was going to kill her. Tilla was passed out, against the door. Eden sighed as she looked down at her roommate.

“I guess it’s a good thing for you that I didn’t try to break the door down, huh?” Eden rolled her eyes before unlocking the door and picking up her roommate. She moved her onto her bed and ran her hand over her forehead. Her Mark was faint and her skin was cold, despite the sweat glistening on her skin.

“Tilla, what happened to you?” Eden threw an extra blanket over the other girl before sitting on her own bed. Dagda whimpered and got up onto the bed with her fledgling, curling up next to her. Baghera huffed, glancing at Eden and then leaving the room.

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door. Eden didn’t say anything, or move her eyes off of Tilla.

Kimi and Cleo came in. Cleo was wearing Circe’s necklace along with her own, her face still stained from the tears. Kimi was holding Kaine’s sword, her necklace wrapped around the hilt.

“Hey guys.” Eden finally looked over at them. “Something happened to Tilla… and it doesn’t look good.”

They both looked over at the other girl, their frowns deepening.

“Kaine had a note next to these, she wants Tilla to have them.” Kimi said, pausing when Eden didn’t respond. She set them on Tilla’s desk.

“Is it alright if we stay in here for a while, I don’t think any of us should be alone right now…” Cleo glanced at Eden after the three had stood there in silence for a long time. Eden nodded, motioning for them to take a seat. Cleo sat on the foot of Eden’s bed while Kimi plopped in the bean bag chair near the TV.

They sat in intermittent silence like that for several hours, one of them occasionally bringing up a memory, making them all laugh and cry. Eventually they fell asleep in their awkward positions.

When Siegfried knocked on the door later, the three all looked startled, Cleo even had a fireball ready. He blinked a few times before smiling at them awkwardly. “Uh, it’s… you… just… lunch?”

Kimi looked at Cleo and Eden, who both just stared at Siegfried. “Yeah, let us get changed.”

Cleo nodded, standing up and stretching. “Thanks for checking on us.” She kissed Siegfried’s cheek before heading across the hall.

“I’m going to stay here with Tilla, I don’t want her to be alone if she wakes up.” As she said it, she suddenly understood why Kaine wouldn’t leave Eos’s side. It wasn’t the same reason, but she didn’t want him to die alone.

Kimi smiled at her as she left. Siegfried nodded. “I’ll bring you something back, okay?”

It was three days since Kaine and Circe had died and Tilla had gone unconscious, and Eden was being forced to leave the room. Sampson had convinced her to get lunch and walk with him, but Andromeda had requested to talk to her instead while they were eating.

“Kimi and Eleanor were going through Miss Macabre’s things and Eleanor found this in one of the boxes. It has your name carved on it, so…” The temporary High Priestess held out a simply crafted, curves dagger. Eden took it from her and looked to see her name in Hebrew on the hilt. “I’m sure she meant to give it to you herself.”

Eden nodded and stood up. “Thank you, but I should go. I think I’ve been away from Tilla long enough.”

“How is she doing? I didn’t see any bite marks on her when she came back, so it isn’t that, but it is odd.”

“I don’t know. I just don’t want to be away from her any longer than I have to be.” Then she left without another word.

When she opened the door to her dorm, she saw that Tilla’s bed was empty and the bathroom light was on. She dropped the dagger and rushed into the bathroom.

Her roommate was staring at herself in the mirror, but she was paler than Eden had ever seen her.

“Hey Eden.” Tilla sounded different, it was her voice, but it was something else.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to be…” She paused when the other girl turned to look at her. Tilla’s face was covered in deliberate, delicate sapphire swirls, around music notes and clefts. The crest was filled in blue. Eden took a step towards her roommate, aw in her face. Being even closer, she noticed that Tilla’s eyes were different. A thin ring of green around her pupil, almost like it was inside her eyes. “You changed…”

“Yeah, thanks to Kaine… h-how long was I out?” Tilla turned away, looking towards the mirror again.

“Three days…” Eden frowned, reaching her hand out to Tilla’s cheek to force her to look at her. “What do you mean that Kaine did this?”

“It’s complicated.” Tilla scratched her cheek, chuckling slightly.

“Uncomplicate it.” Eden knew that was next to impossible when Kaine was involved, but she was trying to be optimistic.

“You might want to sit down.”


	38. Soulmates

When Tilla finished explaining with word vomit, she stared at Eden with her hands out slightly, like she was begging for an answer. But Eden’s face said everything.

 _She doesn’t believe a word you just said._ The familiar voice echoed inside the freshly Changed vampyre’s head, making Tilla wince.

“You hit your head harder than I thought.” Eden crossed her arms and Tilla’s heart sank as she stared at her roommate.

“How else can you explain the fact that I changed as a third former?” Tilla threw her arms to her side as she practically yelled at her.

 _She doesn’t **want**_ _believe you._

“I know.” Tilla closed her eyes, responding to Kaine as if she were standing in the room with them. “She’d believe you.”

The look on Eden’s face went from annoyance to genuine concern as she stared at Tilla. “Seriously, what happened to you? Really, just tell me the truth.”

Eden felt something. It was something she had been feeling for a while, she felt it when she was around both Tilla and Kaine, but it was stronger than she had ever felt it. She had no idea what it was, but it was keeping her from thinking straight (heh, pun).

“I am telling you the truth. Kaine and I are one fucking person, I have her memories, and her voice in my head. I don’t know maybe I have her gifts now too, fuck. Eden, come on. This is weird enough without having to go through it alone.”

_Hey, I’m here!_

“Kaine you don’t count if you’re in my head.” Tilla rolled her eyes.

Eden stood up from her bed, Baghera hissing as he was thrown off her lap. “Stop it! Kaine’s gone!” She took a few steps towards Tilla, pushing her hard enough to cause to her to fall to the ground. Tilla stared up at her friend in shock. “I don’t care if this is some kind of coping mechanism, but leave me out of it! Kaine’s dead and I was supposed to keep her safe!”

“ _It’s not your fault_.” The words came out of Tilla’s mouth, but it wasn’t her voice. Tilla looked just as confused as Eden.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Tears welled in Eden’s eyes as she knelt to the ground infront of Tilla. “I just…”

 _Kiss her_. Kaine’s voice sounded exhausted.

 _WHAT? Are you kidding me?_ Tilla was really going to have to get used to having actual real conversations in her head.

_You didn’t mention the soulmate thing yet, it’s a good a way as any._

Tilla reached out and pulled Eden into a hug. _I’m not kissing her to stop crying. She needs to get used to the idea of us being one person before we spring that on her._

_Is it weird to use plural pronouns to refer to yourself? Are you going to start telling people to address you plurally?_

_Letting you live in my head was a mistake._

Eden was sobbing and mumbling about failing Kaine, and failing Tilla, during the conversation Tilla was having in her head. Tilla hugged her tighter while she ignored the silence in her head that she just knew Kaine was trying to use as a substitute as a smug grin.

“You didn’t fail Kaine, okay? She’s here, she’s still here. And… and her and I are stronger together.” Tilla felt that the words were hollow as the silence in her head changed.

 _You okay_?

Tilla felt Kaine’s tears fall down her cheeks. _I don’t know how strong my half is. Losing Circe… you can feel it too, can’t you?_

She could feel it. Like frayed edges of a cloth, where another piece used to be tacked on.

“If Kaine’s really there, then what about Circe?”

Tilla looked away, pain filling her eyes as she felt Eden’s own tear filled eyes on her. “I-I… it hurt, a lot. Her and Kaine’s bond was so strong and now… it’s just a wound.”

Eden’s hands were cupping Tilla’s cheeks, and Tilla jumped slightly at the touch, and again when she felt lips pressing against her own. Once the initial shock subsided, Tilla slipped her arms around the other girl.

Once they pulled away, she repeated Kaine, that way Eden could hear it too, without Kaine having to extend too much of herself. “You bitch, you knew didn’t you?”

“Know what?” Eden tried to look innocent, but ended up grinning. “It was hard to understand… having two soulmates, but you are both much more manageable anyway.”

Tilla pulled away with a groan, as Eden leaned in for another kiss. “Kaine’s trying to give me sex tips.”

With a sigh, Eden stood up and offered a hand to help Tilla up. “Well, that mood is ruined. We better go see Andromeda.”

Tilla groaned again as she hauled to her feet. “Kaine’s dead and she’s still causing everyone problems.”


End file.
